Memories...

2012-01-08T21:21:00.000-08:00

"THERE ARE PLACES I'LL REMEMBER', is one of my favorite Beatles songs. It says" I know I'll never lose affection for people and things that went before. I know I'll stop and think about them, In my life I love u more."

I do often think about how Blessed I've been to have known the people that have crossed my path. Just think of lives intersecting out of billions of lives on the planet. The possibility that those particular ones would be there at the right time to lighten my life. It's sad when you lose someone you love until you remember the good memories and the times they made you happy. And then you remember that things don't happen by coincidence, But that GOD puts everything into play. some people for joy, some to help you know right from wrong, some to help you grow in knowledge and some to help you grow in Spirit. All these things conect together to help you become the person that you will be. Even the bad times are ment for growing times.
Those times are hard to comprehend as we are going through them. But we can trust that God knows the future and will direct our paths if we give to Him . Thank you Father for the people that I've met in my journey.

2011-12-16T20:58:00.000-08:00

Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way. yes I'm hearing that sound all day long. it sounds like rudolph and his friends have invaded our house. Wait I remember, I went out and bought bells to put on our 3 dogs. and everytime they run through the house we have, barking, bells ringing, and the tap tap tap of 12 little feet tapping on the new laminate floor. ho-ho-ho. What was I thinking? Actually I like the bells and they do to. I take them off every night and they line up in the morning to have them put back on. never a dull moment in our house. haha. hoho merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.

2011-12-07T21:32:00.000-08:00

I was on facebook today and our daughter dee started talking about our crazy family so I popped on and said they got it from their dad's side of the family. Then she comes back on and says who was the one running through the house chasing the kids with a hose? duh that would be me. Yeah I kind of forgot about that. We had fun and the kids and I got it all cleaned up before dad got home,.
But then I remembered we did it again when we lived in Gabbs Nev in an old trailer that had old yucky carpet and by the time we got done there was mud.(I'm talking in the house.

We had an awsome family and not only our biological kids but anybody elses kids that was staying with us at the time. Nieces, nephews, who-ever. It seemed the more the merrier. We loved them all.

We had a pastor friend who is gone now. but he use to say that the important thing is building memories, riches better then silver and gold. I started a journel years ago and wrote a lot of our memories and adventures down so they would be remember. But I don't think I wrote about the water-fights in the house. oops I'm bad. !! haha

2011-12-02T20:51:00.000-08:00

well alot has happened since I was here last. My dad moved to the Lorenz hotel in town on Nov 8th 2011. He has always been very independant and needed his own space. So it is for the best. I worried about him to begin with but with prayer from my bible study group and friends I have a peace that he will be OK. God will watch over him and if something happens to him he will at least be happy with a place of his own. one thing I have always had a problem with is letting go. and this was just another thing I needed to remember that dad is a grown man and I am not his "mother".
since he doesn't have his license he is walking around town and getting some exercise so that is a good thing. Hopefully he will learn to ride the bus. other then that my brother Carl is coming over whenever he can to take him places. Bad things work out for the good and it was getting hard to deal with so this is for the best.

2011-11-01T05:59:00.000-07:00

Oct 28th 2011, my 85 year old dad lost his drivers license because of dementia. It's a good thing but it is a sad thing. How strange would it be after driving for 70 years and now not being able to.
He started driving at 15, got his license at 17. then drove truck for 50 yrs,, taught guys to drive. Now he's told he can't. It has been sad to see him but he seems to have excepted it. He says he's always had a good driving record and we've told him it isn't because of the driving record but because of the dementia.
He didn't know what that was so I showed him an article in a medical book.
His favorite thing is to go to the truck stop. not just to eat but so he can see the truckers and the trucks drivng in and out. They let us play cards and we try to go at lest 2 times a week. The waitresses there are very sweet to him as he has been around since they opened in the 70"s.
Sometimes it has been hard taking care of him, but one day I will be able to look back and know that it was a privaledge to be there for him as long as I could.
My song now is "ONE DAY AT A TIME SWEET JESUS'.

2011-07-11T05:50:00.000-07:00

MY DAD IS HERE.... EVERYTIME I SAY I WON'T DO SOMETHING I CAN PICTURE GOD SITTING THERE WITH A GLEAM IN HIS EYE AND A BIG HARDY LAUGH AS HE PLANS OUT THE NEXT LESSON FOR MY LIFE.
I HAVE ALWAYS SAID I COULD NEVER LIVE WITH MY DAD. WE'RE BOTH TOO STUBBORN AND SET IN OUR WAYS. WELL ON JUNE 29TH HE FELL AT THE LAUNDRY ROOM AT HIS TRAILER PARK AND WENT TO THE HOSPITAL. WE BROUGHT HIM HOME WITH US CAUSE HE'S TOO WEAK TO BE ALONE. VERN AND I DECIDED TO GIVE HIM ONE OF THE EXTRA BEDROOMS AND NOW TO TRY TO CONVINCE HIM THAT HE'S NOT IN THE WAY. HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN FEARCELY INDEPENDANT AND NOW HAS TO DEPEND ON US FOR HELP. WHICH HE'S HATING. ESPECIALLY HARD FOR HIM IS BEING TOLD HE SHOULDN'T DRIVE. HE'S HAD A FEW BLACKOUTS AND DRIVING IS NOT A GOOD IDEA. HE'S BEEN A TRUCK DRIVER ALL OF HIS LIFE AND STILL IN THE BACK OF HIS MIND HE SHOULD STILL BE ABLE TO DRIVE.
SO WE ARE ON A NEW JOURNEY AND I KNOW THAT "I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGHTENS ME" NOT ON MY OWN STRENGHT IN OTHERWORDS. AS THE SONG GOES. " ONE DAY AT A TIME SWEET JESUS, THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING FROM U".

2011-05-08T14:30:00.000-07:00

Today is Mothers Day. and everywhere u look mothers are being treated like queens and shown respect and given meals and mushy lovey-dovey cards.

Well that's not me. If u know me I'm not a lovey-mushy girley person. If I ever sent anyone that type of card they would wonder if I was dying or what. I go to the humorous part of the cards.

On facebook everyone was telling about the wonderful parent they were to their kids when they were growing up. Not me this is what I wrote. READY?

I found my kids in a cabbage patch and left them there till they were out of diapers, so I brought them home and sent them to school and as soon as they got home I sent them to bed. When they got big enough to leave home I opened the door and showed it to them to meet the cold cruel world. That's called tough love . By the way when people say I have beautiful kids I tell them it's cause we gave all the ugley ones away. Say the same thing about the grandkids. So all I gotta say is does that mean I'm a great mom and deserve a card. or what?

HAPPY MOMS DAY TO ALL U MOMS WHO STUCK IT OUT AND LOVED THE LITTLE BUGGERS ANYWAY.

2011-05-02T12:41:00.000-07:00

Our Pastor wanted us to write our personal testamony as to how we came to know the Lord. so after thinking about it, here goes.

I was not raised in a christian home and knew nothing about GOD or Jesus or Heaven or angels. Once I had a babysitter that took me to Catholic mass at 6and 7 years old but still didn't tell me what it meant. So when I lived in New Orleans and ran the streets till all hours of the night, I was being protected even then. I didn't get into any bad situations but just being in the wrong places at the wrong times. once I went to a friends party and got so drunk (the only time i did drink) I spent 3 days in bed sick. back then we didn't know about alcohol poisoning. A couple of months later I was in a motorcycle accident that I should never have walked away from but after 3 days in the hospital I was ok. I'm telling this part so u will know that even though I did not know GOD then, HE knew me and watched over me.

After getting married and having two kids we moved to a small town with a population of 6,000 and 100 churches. Saturday was the day that the people would go around and knock on the doors to invite u to church. only each time they would ask me if I were a christian and I would say yes cause I was a good person and figured tht was what a christian was. and they would say have a good day and never come back. One older man, Mr Fred Williams came by and stayed about 15 mins and invited me to church and left. next week he came back and the next week came back again. I thought,"boy he sure is persistant. and I told him I'd try his church. but he looked at me and I though he could see right through me. any way the next sunday I dragged the kids and my self to the church and actually liked it. Not because of the spiritual part of it but the social part of it. everyone was friendly and family like and I was soooooooo lonely. West Ave Baptist Church. I began to go and after a while I did learn that Jesus loved me and I knew I loved him but wasn't sure about GOD cause it seemed HE was always zapping people. One day I was reading in Samuel where the people wanted a king and Samuel went to GOD and told HIM. and something happened to me that day. As GOD answered "They have a king, they have me" my heart acually broke and hurt. I felt the pain of rejection that HE had. and knew that GOD was the one that saved me by HIS GRACE and nothing that I could have done. Through my life I have learned that. 1) HE was there all the time, even when I didn't know HIM. and 2) He loved me and saved me Even when I didn't love HIM. I am so happy to share what HE has done for me with anyone who will listen.

EASTER SUNDAY

2011-04-24T20:42:00.000-07:00

Today was Easter Sunday, and a beautiful day. Normally we are surrounded by family and food (way too much food) but today the kids all had their own plans and We went to church with Rosalie to "SONRISE " service and a pot-luck breakfast and regular service. Came home and vegged out watching tv . Sometimes u need a quiet day just the two of us.

Kathy is going through her little empty nest because now that Miranda turned 18 she has decided to move into her boyfriends house. so she was the last of the little birdies to leave the nest. I remember what that was like. Believe me it was hard at first. but life goes on and after a while it's like" ok come visit, don't stay tooooo long then go home. haha Really that's what we are suppose to do as parents is to teach them to stand on their own and then let them go.

When our kids were growing up I was busy with them and vern was busy with work. so when they left home, he and I didn't know how to communicate as a couple and had to learn to talk, and interact. That's wrong. now I look back and see where we should have taken time for each other all along. The kids are important but they do grow up and leave and where does that leave our relationship if we don't work on it before that?

We just celebrated our 42nd aninversary and It was hard for a while but we grew closer together as the time went by. The bible says when a man and woman get married they become one. but I think it really means that u become one after time of growing together by trial and error, and faith and trust.
There is a scripture in Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 that says: ""Two are better then one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up, Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep each other warm, but how can one be warm alone?. And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.""
The cord of three is husband, wife and God. I believe our marriage has lasted so long because we have included GOD in it and HE has strengthened us and has made us strong..

2011-01-13T10:15:00.000-08:00

Wow it is already Jan 13th 2011. it seems that I just put the Christmas stuff away and here we go with a new year.
Today I want to talk about our grown kids. When they are born you bring them home and are scared to death your gonna make a mistake and mess them up or hurt them. Finally you get use to the fact that they are stronger then they look and the fun begins. playing with them, talking baby talk, gaga googoo and tickle them till they get the hic ups and u can't wait for them to get big enough to interact with you.
They are like little sponges and soak in everything around them. Mom spends 95% of the time with them changing diapers and feeding etc and the first word out of their mouth is dada. Hum! what's with that? ]
You walk them to school that first day of kindergarten and cry when they go inside to a world without u. From there they go through all the stages of life it takes for them to grow into the person they are going to be. Sometimes they goof up sometimes they get hurt, but mom is always there to pick up the pieces.

They go through stages where mom is the hero and then as they become teens we' are dumber then dirt. That's when things in life begin to really get to them and it takes awhile before they realize mom wasn't so dumb after all. It is normal for them to go through these stages.
As they become spouses and parents they find out that they also will make mistakes, nothing that is intentional (as our mistakes were not intentional )but that's how we grow. Life comes around in a full circle as they learn to forgive and love us and we have to remember that is part of the circle.

God told me once that He gave me my kids to raise and nurture and at some point I was suppose to give them back so He could shape and mold them into the people they were meant to be. But I had a hard time cause everytime they hurt I tried to save them instead of trusting GOD to do His job. LET THEM GO AND LET GOD DO HIS JOB, believe me He knows what He's doing.

2010-12-31T06:53:00.000-08:00

Today is Dec 31st, new years eve, going on 2011. I was laying in bed thinking about living in New Orleans and at midnight the boat whistles would all go off and how neat it sounded. Some places have fireworks, Everyone celebrating a new beginning, a new year. A time to set things straight and do things over and try to get them right. I don't really like change but I do like "a new beginning". We make new years resolutions and sometimes do good with them and sometimes we're lucky if they last a month. but it's fun trying. I can't tell u how many diets I have started and not finished. but not giving up is the thing. So I'll probably start again.

When Vern and I got married, I was 19 and wanted to celebrate New Years like everybody else. We lived in Turlock Ca. and my uncle was singing in a band. My aunt came over to get us to go out and my cousin babysat. I was so excited cause we were actually going out on a date. After we got there, I discovered vern couldn't dance fast and I couldn't dance slow and neither of us drank. so after we got home I guess we figured there was no use in going again.
So I would tell vern , "Hey, stay up and watch the ball fall with me". and he'd say," I'm going to bed, the ball is gonna fall wheither I stay up or not." So for years I stay'd up by myself and watched the ball fall. Then I realized, , yep he was right. the ball would fall whether I stay'd up or not and I wouldn't be so tired the next day. So us two old farts are in bed by 9 and will know that the ball will fall without us. HAVE A HAPPY AND SAFE NEW YEAR. AND GOD BLESS.

2010-12-12T17:33:00.000-08:00

A few years ago I wrote a letter to the editor because I finally understood why teenagers were so hard to live with. I decided for some of u that are having a problem with that issue now I would repeat it on my blog.
After many years trying to figure out why these human beings between 12 and 18 acted so weird and out of charactor from the sweet little things that we raised. It came to me that it was not their fault they acted that why because at 12 space aliens invaded their bodies and took over their brains and caused them to do things they normally would not do. Aliens love chaos and turmoil and enjoy causing this havic in the teens lives. Around the age of 18 they are tired of this subject and go on to a younger one, giving control back to the former teen who is by now totally in trouble and mistrusted. So when your child begins to act in a weird manor please don't be too hard on them in a few years they will be back in control of their minds and bodies and you will be friends again.

2010-11-27T17:59:00.000-08:00

Twas the weekend after Thanksgiving and all through the house. not a creature is stirring and it's quiet as a mouse. After having a houseful for 3 days and nights the quiet was totally ,totally out of sight. We had a great time, playing games and laughing, cooking and eating and sleeping (napping)(me) haha. The Turkey was great and the pies were too, but it didn't help my sugar which was way to high.boo-hoo. So now I have to watch it and I have four weeks to . then Christmas we start over. and see what else we can do!
It reminded me of the partrige in a pare tree.

9 people talking
5 dogs a barking
3 horses running
1 conure bird screaming and the Hansens and Terrys had a ball.
until we meet again at christmas. ho ho ho!!!!!!!!

2010-11-23T08:37:00.000-08:00

If it is going to happen to anyone it will happen to me. We have the horses here that Kat and Roy brought up and one of them is a baby and in a small correl in our back yard. Everyday we put her into the big pasture with the other two and at night bring her back in. Last week I took the lead rope and got her out. and was taking her to the gate. Trying to get her not to stop and eat the nice plush green grass on the way cause it gives her the runs. so it's step, stop to eat, pull, step stop to eat pull and over and over again. Finally getting to the far side of the yard I took a step the same time she did and I tripped on her hoof and down I went in slooooooooooooooooooooow motion. landed on my good knee carried over to my bad knee and then my left shoulder. Shocked and laying on the ground thinking she was gonna step on me. But instead she seized the opportunity to enjoy her green grass buffett. I yelled for vern because he had just gone into the house, my little dog SID was standing under a tree looking at me and I began to yell and point to the house." Lassie go get help". to which he looked at me as if to say"duh!"

So after a few minutes I decided it was time to try to safe myself. So up on my good knee I went which by now was no longer good. Ouch. and I finally got to my feet. ,, took her to the gate and put her in and walked back to the house. As I came in the door Vern was sitting at the table drinking a cup of coffee and said. We've u been????? HAHAHAHAHA. Well that's not exactly what I said. Oh yeah and did I mention in a previous blog that I'm AFRAID OF HORSES.! All in all I am thankful that even though I have bruises and pain nothing was broke. So that is a good thing. Like in Pollyanna always look for something good that comes out of something bad.

2010-11-10T06:32:00.000-08:00

Have times changed so much since my kids were little that it's hard to go out in public to see young parents with little kids. I went to the doctor a couple of days ago and waited for 2 hours in the waiting room to be seen. one hour of it was ok, but the next hour a young girl with two little ones came in with her mom and the little toddler screamed for a solid hour. cause he didn't want to he held, he didn't want his brother held. every once in a while the young mother or the grandmother would give him a piece of candy to try to appease him. What is wrong with that picture?????????? well it is rewarding this little angel for being bad. giving mixed signels. How are they suppose to learn right from wrong like that? I know, I know it wasn't any of my business. but the screaming was invading my space and the space of the rest of the people that were sick and had been waiting for so long.

It's amazing that in this day and age the kids are in control. Of course we can't give them a little swat on the padding anymore because we might bruise their little egos, however if they don't learn at home to be disciplined then how are they going to be in school and later in the work force. I 'm not saying , to beat them, but we have generations of little hippy kids running around doing their own thing.
They use to say not to spank cause it caused these kids to grow up violent and would in up in prison. Has anyone ever watched a toddler that never was spanked and wanted something, and how mad he got to get it? Where did that anger come from? Have u noticed that we've had to build alot more prisons today? Have u noticed the violance on the video games and tv? No consequences means no direction , no direction means no accountability, no accountablility means no respect for others..

A New Adventure...

2010-11-06T05:57:00.000-07:00

We have a new adventure. Remember the old saying, "every boy needs a dog and a mother to feed it? Well Our daughter got horses and put them in the pasture. So we get to feed and water and watch over them.

Kat has always wanted horses but never been where she could have them and her and her husband Roy are buying the property next to us from Rosalie and decided to get a couple of mustang colts. We went to the horse sanctuary and she fell in love with a beautiful 6 month old filly (Paint). She was suppose to go back for an auction and was so afraid that someone else would get it so Roy just bought it for her.

While we were waiting to bring it home, they found two more that were grown and ready to ride. So our family now consists of Molly a 17 yr old quarter horse, and Zeke an 8 yr old gilding and the baby. (Baby Girl).

Oh yeah did I mention I'm afraid of horses? I figure anything bigger then me can really do some damage. So I though I'd get use to them by handling the baby. The first time out of the corral with the lead rope she went to bucking andI just dropped that rope and let her go. Good thing we were in our back yard where she couldn't go anywhere. I toss hay over the fence to the big ones and fill the water buckets. but as long as there is a fence between me and them I'm good.

It's been a week and I'm getting better with the baby. so maybe in time we'll be friends.

Also did I mention that when Kat and Roy come up, they bring their 3 dogs to add to my 2 dogs and the conuer (parrot) who has decided he likes me. and now the horses. so we have become quite the farm around here. What's fun is when it's raining and there are millions of little red dog prints all over the house. (as we have red dirt). U could never say life at the Hansens is boring, there always seems to be some kind of adventure. And that's good thing cause at least we're never bored. have a great day.

2010-10-29T01:22:00.000-07:00

My mom had 5 siblings. She was in the middle. There was Milo, Helen, Bobby, then mom, (Louise), Rita, and finally Jean. the first three were older when mom came along and then aunt rita was a few months apart from mom, so they were close,, and later came the baby (Geneva).

The reason I''m telling this is that my aunt Helen and aunt Jean were the only ones left out of the brothers and sisters and my aunt Helen passed away just a couple of hours ago at 84. Now it leaves aunt Jean as the only survivng member of her family.. How hard that has got to be. I was an only child so I wont have to go through that lose. Jean has been through the lose of her mom, step-dad ,husband and each sibling. And today she called me to have me pray for her to go through this. GOD answered that prayer, we prayed he would give her that "Peace that passes all understanding" and help her to let go so GOD could do what needed to be done.

Through these loses I have seen a strenght in her growing with each one. and I know the Bible is true when it says we grow through our trials. My prayer is that God with continue to give her the strenght to go through the days ahead. with all the preparations. I wish I could be with her. but can't and I know that God is .

2010-09-17T07:22:00.000-07:00

A few years ago , we were gone from the ranch for 5 yrs. 3 yrs were on meghan st in sacramento. The lady that owned the house next door to us came over to meet the new neighbors and after a little visit said" you have got to meet my mother, you will really get along." Well that was an understatement. From the time we met we were like soulmates.
Her name was gail, and we were almost the same age. we both lived in New Orleans the same time, during the 50's. We both had diabeties and wasn't very good at it cause we both liked food . We were both short and stout and and great sense of humors. We were both oppinonated. She was black and I am white but that didn't make a differance cause we saw each others hearts. I wish the whole world could get along like we did. We'd go to lunch on Thursdays at Home Town Buffet in North Highlands cause they had corn bread and black-eyed peas and catfish. and we'd laugh and act silly and tell people we were sisters.
She would tell stories about growing up with lots of brothers and sisters and their adventures in the city. Their dad was a janitor at a school next door to their house. and she' go to work with him sometimes. I loved to hear her stories as I was an only child and didn't have that kind of family closeness. She would tell some crazy story and then say " If I'm lying ,I'm flying." Her laughter was in her whole body. she'd throw her head back and let it out. She had two grandsons and lots of nieces and nephews and helped them all with homework and pretty well kept them on the straight and narrow cause not one of them was on drugs or in gangs and most got all A's in their schooling. That's pretty good record for kids today growing up in a big city.
Gail also had congestive heart problems and finally lost her battle 2 years ago in oct. when ever I think of her I remember that laugh and picture her waiting on the rest of us cause she did love the LORD. I have been sooooooo blest with the friends GOD has given me. And can't wait to see them again.

2010-09-06T09:20:00.000-07:00

What a wonderful weekend we just had. Kat and Roy came up to work on the property they are buying from Rosalie . Then Saturday we had a bbq and Mike and Nancy and the girls and Melissas friend came and Nancys brother and mom. We haven't gotten together like that in a long time. The only thing Sharon and the boys and Steph weren't here so maybe next summer.

As the kids all grow up and go in different directions it is so hard to get everyone together. We use to get together on Thanksgiving or Easter. but with new in-laws we had to share. Now the grandkids are dating and working and here we go again.

Randa has been with us for 3 weeks working on the ranch and we have so enjoyed having her. The boys are back in school so we probably won't see them till Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Stephanie is doing great, she is graduating high school in Dec and I'm looking forward to being there for that. she has a great guy and a business of her own and really seems to have her head on her shoulders.

Matt is still in Italy and having a wonderful time being a dad and husband. It's so weird thinking of him being a dad when I can remember what an awsome little boy he was.

Sharon is doing good after losing Rick she is getting her life back in order and for the first time in her life is taking control of her surroundings.

Mike works intirely too much and needs to learn to slow down. but he gets that from his dad. sometimes they actually take the quades and go have fun. Nancy's mom moved up from cear lake area to redding so that is a good thing for her and her mom. we always need family near.melissa is a senoir in high school and sarah is a freshmen. so that's funny ,one going in and one coming out.

It's so funny that when u are raising your kids it seems like forever and your afraid of all the mistakes your going to make. And then when they are grown and gone you look back and it doesn't seem like it was that long. It's kind of like an artist that paints on a canvess and can't see the results until the painting is done. When I look at my canvess I'm really proud of how my painting has turned out."ONLY THROUGH GOD'S HELP !!! It's also like labor, when ur going through it it's not fun but the end results are so worth it. Labor pains are soon forgotten and the hard times with raisning kids are forgotten and you just remember the good things. I am so thankful for my family and thankful for the trials in our lives that made us who we are and what we will become.

2010-08-29T16:39:00.000-07:00

We had a friend named Leon Chambers . We met him and his family, Sandi, Lavonne, and David in Gabbs Nv in 1981. I was in a place where I didn't want to be, and our church in Ca had a big split which left me devastated by so-called Christians. Leon and his family came to the ranch to buy hay for their horses. He was wearing jeans, and tee-shirt ,boots, and a cowboy hat with a little cross on it.

He was very likable, friendly and outgoing. Then I found out he was the preacher at a little church in town. After what I told him about what happened to us he said he didn't come to preach but to buy hay. After that him and his family came to visit us and we hit it off. Pretty soon I decided to try his church. It was an Assembly of GOD.

Leon was like no other preacher I'd ever seen. There were horse correls in town and the Indians would hang out there and some of the cowboys but not really together.
But Leon got out there and got bucked off and fell in the manure and talked to everyone. Pretty soon the Indian famliles starting coming to church. He went on round-ups and got friendly with the ranchers. He wasn't afraid to get dirty He'd go into the bar and sit and have a cola and talk to whoever was there. not just about church but whatever and then if someone asked a spiritual question he'd be there for them. All these things won respect for Christ because he reflected Christ.

Jesus went where the sinners were and so did Leon. He didn't just talk his ministy he lived it. I remember going to their house in the mornings before school and as a family they always held hands and prayed for the day before anyone left.

He was always there for his friends or even strangers. He once brought us a car load of groceries because we had nothing and GOD told, him to.

He had diabetis and when his physical strength left him and he had to start using a wheel-chair he was an inspiration to the rest of us who tried to use excuses why we didn't want to go to church. Then we'd think of Leon, who never wanted to miss. After he went to the hospital you would go to visit him and he'd be in somebody elses room talking to them about the Lord. or just passing the time.

He once said to me that he didn't feel he had accomplished much and I told him he reminded of the song, "Thank You", were the guy goes to heaven and people walk up to him and tell him they were there because of him. and I told him when he got there that is what would happen to him. He went on to be with his (Aba Father) which is what he always called GOD. on Nov 25,1995 at 50 years old.

I thank GOD he was in our lives and that we will see him again someday.

2010-08-28T11:07:00.000-07:00

Remember the day of Leave it to Beaver and Father knows best, When the men were the head of the house and was respected by the wives and the kids? The wife always wore her pearls and her dress and an apron and had the meals ready when dad came home and the kids would greet him at the door with hugs and smiles? Was that really real? Did people really act like that?

Things have changed conciderably from those days. The wifes entered the work force when the men went off to war and found out they could do it without the men. So in came divorce and latch key kids. and men with low -self esteem that decided they weren't good enough or responsible enough to be part of a family. The latch key kids had nothing to come home from school to and got bored so they went ouot and found ways to entertain themselves. Mom was busy and dad was out of the picture.

The kids grew up to be hippies that said free love, free sex, do your own thing. and 20 years later became politicians. (OOPS, DID I SAY THAT)? anyway they found a way to make money to run the government by making it legal to grow pot, and you we have lost our freedoms because now it is wrong to offend anyone with our religious Holidays and we can't teach about Jesus in our schools but it's ok to teach the kids that gays getting married is a perfectly normal way of life.

And we wonder why pride and respect in our country and schools is going down the drain. God will honor us if we honor HIM. but that doesn't seem to be happening!!

2010-08-21T17:18:00.000-07:00

when I was little I was not allowed in the kitchen because I would get burned or in the way. So needless to say when I got married 41 years ago, I could barely boil ,water. That was the year they came out with "Hamburger Helper", which made me look good in the kitchen and fed us. Then the next year I graduated over to tuna helpers. Eventually Vern got tired of them and bought me a Betty Crocker cookbook. but the impatient person that I was, didn't want to take time to see how to put it togethher so I just took the ingredients and mixed them. sometimes they came out, but mostly they didn't. Vern showed me a few times how to make homemade bread. and it was good and smelled good but looked like too much work so I kept asking him to show me again and finally he said forget it.

When we moved to Nevada I had to learn to cook from scratch because we didn't have the money for fancy stuff. Once the girls and I made homemade eggnoodles and that was fun. we rolled them out as flat as we could get them and cut them and hung them all over the kitchen. Plue our neighbor showed me how to make wonderful sweet dinner rolls. So that was the beginning of my actual cooking experiences.
Since we've been on the ranch I've canned peaches , frozen corn, made bread and butter pickles, grape jelly and even tried my hand last summer at mild salsa. Oh yeah and I also make home made biscuts that aren't tooooo bad. so guess Vern isn't going to starve. By the way, I see in the store there are all kinds of new hamburger helpers but when I mention them to vern he just looks at me funny and I figure I better not. Beside, now that I can cook vern and I are overweight and there are alot of things we shouldn't have. go figure.?

2010-08-09T14:24:00.000-07:00

Hi, there well this was a wonderful weekend. Kathy and Roy, and Miranda and Sharon came up and had a nice relaxing time. they rode quades and looked at the stars (which is something they don't get in Sacramento. haha and ate squash and tomatoes and corn straight out of the garden. Sometimes when your around it all the time like I am you forget how special that can be. All I know is we had a great time. Everyone was here except mikes family and they were helping Nancys mom move to Redding. Someday we'll get everyone at the same time.

I cut grass today and tomarrow I'll start on peaches and believe me we have a bunch. Still a little solid but almost ready. If I don't get them the chickens and the birds will.

Oh yeah. kathy and roy talked to rosalie about buying the 5 acres next to us so it looks like we're gonna be neighbors. Not really for about 8 years until roy retires so there won't be anybody to borrow sugar from for a while. haha. It's so funny that when kat was a kid she couldn't wait to get away from the ranch and now for years she has tried to figure how to get back on it. so far mike is on the ranch and kathy is coming back so next will be sharon, then it will be time for me and vern to move back to squim, haha. the old saying "what comes around ,goes around". that's what happened to us when we lived here for 14 years and then moved to squim f Washington or 1 year and then to sac for 4 years and when I quit fighting with GOD and said ok what ever you want then He sent us right back to the ranch , same address, same phone number. and we've been back 7 years august 16th. In all that moving around we had lots of adventures and made lots of new friends.

One thing I have found is that good can come out of bad. you just have to look for it.

2010-07-21T20:58:00.000-07:00

Do u ever go to town and actually look at the homeless people out there with their little signs on the street corners, or the ones that hang out at the park cause there is no where else to go. Whether it is 110 degrees or 30 degrees. do you really take a look at them or are they invisable? I know I've heard people say," well they are out there cause they want to be, sometimes that's true sometimes not. Especially the way the economy is today. What's really sad is when they have kids and they've no place to go and the shelters are full. Some are just down on their luck, no job, no money . And some are there because of drugs or alcohol. But I know that GOD really does love them and wants to help them, but won't force himself on them.
I have learned that in many cases GOD sends people into our path so that we can help them to. Maybe to pray for them, maybe to talk to them like they are humans and don't have the plague. We had a loved one on the streets 7 years ago that came around when he wasn't drinking but when he was we didn't hear from him for months. Then one night he went to the beach and drank himself to death. Just another homeless statistic. He had people that loved him, but how do u help someone that doesn't want you to. what a sad waste. Everyone of those people have family somewhere but they choose to separate themselves for one reason or another. GOD said He'd gather His children in his protective arms as a hen gathers her chicks but we won't let him. My heart aches for those people because most of them have felt unloved or worthless and don't feel they deserve to be loved. How sad is that? I thank GOD for the shelters and the people that spend their time helping in them. We need to ask ourselves, What can I do?????

2010-07-19T20:47:00.000-07:00

My dad and I go to the truck stop two or three times a month to eat and play cards. Dad was a trucker for many years and that is his second home now that he has retired. He probably goes 4 times a week just to get out of the house. I would say he is a permanent fixture at TA's, The waitresses are so sweet to him. He can be a little bossy at times but they love him. They let us sit after we eat and play rummy which is dad's favorite card game. and believe it or not he beats me more then half the time. I like spending time with him and the cards help him with his memory . I really think he has deisel fuel running through his veins instead of blood. I think they should put a plague with his name on our favorite booth. haha that would be funny. and he'd get a kick out of that. Thank you GOD for the time that I get to spend with my dad.

2010-07-07T12:42:00.000-07:00

RICKY CLOYD PASSED AWAY JUNE 29TH 2010. HE WAS MY SON-IN-LAW, MARRIED TO OUR DAUGHTER, SHARON FOR 7 YEARS THIS JULY 4TH. TWO YEARS AGO HE STARTED LOOKING SICK AND WAS SICK BUT DIDN'T GO TO THE DOCTOR AND HE JUST KEPT GETTING WORSE. FINALLY HIS FAMILY TOOK HIM TO EMERGENCY AND IT WAS TOO LATE TO SAVE HIM. HE WAS A DRINKER AND HAD CIRRHOUS OF THE LIVER AND EVERYTHING BEGAN TO SHUT DOWN. HE SPENT 3 WEEKS IN ICU ON MORPHINE AND TUBES AND FINALLY DECIDED HE HAD ENOUGH. ALL OF HIS FAMILY WAS THERE AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER TO SAY GOODBYE AND SHARON WAS AT HIS SIDE WHEN HE PASSED.

IT'S SAD TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS TO OUR BODIES FROM NEGLECT. BUT ONE VISE IS NO DIFFERANT THEN ANOTHER. RICK DRANK, AND I EAT SUGAR AND THINGS I SHOULDN'T HAVE WITH MY DIABETIS. WE ALWAYS THINK, "IT WON'T HAPPEN TO ME", BUT THEN IT DOES. AND OUR FAMILIES ARE LEFT TO PICK UP THE PIECES. ONE THING WE HAVE TO HAVE IN OUR RELATIONSHIPS IS NO REGRETS. SOMETIMES TOO MANY WASTED YEARS GO BY BEFORE FAMILIES MAKE UP AND THEN U THINK OF ALL THE THINGS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN SAID AND WERE'NT. IF THERE IS SOMEONE IN YOUR LIFE RIGHT NOW, WHILE THEY ARE STILL HERE TELL THEM U LOVE THEM AND FORGIVE THEM BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.

2010-06-28T05:57:00.000-07:00

yesterday our preacher talked about attitude. I so agreed with him. It seems life will be going along great and I will hit a brick wall and all of a sudden the attitude pops up like a angry snake. I try to control it but sometimes it is just there. I tell people I have a donald duck temper . yes me, hard to believe huh? Enless you've seen me in action. This is one of the things that GOD works on in our lives. and I flunk the test and have to start all over. someday I'll get it right.

Famous preacher and author Chuck Swidol said " Life is 10% what happens to u and 90% how u respond to it." Makes a lot of sense to me. If u have a good attitude about anything then it makes it easier to stay positive and keep going, but when the bad one comes around it's like taking a detour from the direction u need to be going in. Don't give up just keep working on it and some day we'll get it right.

2010-06-14T06:30:00.000-07:00

This morning someone sent me a picture of the smallest prayer mantis I have ever seen. and I got to thinking about how wonderfully perfect he was made. Little tiny brain, stomach, heart, lungs and everything works perfect. Then thinking on, about a nat. How can anyone not believe in a Creator when things like this are in the world?
How can all these differant things come from a "big bang theory?" Have you ever seen a fire fly? How awsome it is to watch the little bugs flit around with their tails lite up. We use to catch them when I was a kid and put them in mason jars and watch them for a while then let them go.
Once my cousin who was 5 and I was 10 came to visit and we got a jar of them and were in bed watching them and she opened the jar and let them lose in the room. oops!
Last year, we bought 13 chicks and were told how to raise them with the heat lite and special food and keep them warm. so we did then this year one of those hens hatched a baby chick and we watch in amazement as that momma takes such good care of that baby. no special food, no heat lamp, and still everyday it seems to get a little bigger and a little stronger. no special treatment except that she protects him from danger.
That also reminds me of the scripture where GOD said He would have gathered us under His wings as a mother hen gathers her chicks but we wouldn't let Him. matt. 23:37.
Everyday is a chance to witness another miracle. somethings we don't understand, like the lose of a loved one. but one day it will all come together and we will see the big picture.

2010-06-09T12:22:00.000-07:00

Well here I am after a long absence. I seem to get myself in trouble with out even leaving the house. Here we go again.
You've heard of it's a dogs life? Well I have my two boys and kathy and
roy are going on vacation for 2 weeks so I went to get their 3 and when I got back home I had a call that my cousin is in the hospital and could I come get her dog to take care of it. The problem with "Nicky", is that he bites everyone but me. I don't know why he likes me and vern but he does. I was worrried about what would happen when I brought him home to 5 others. I locked them all out on the back room and let him look around and after a few mins I let one of the dogs in so he could check them out, he didn't eat him so I figured the coast was clear. So after a little longer I let them all in and they are doing great.
It is hard to believe he is a different dog here then at his home. I think because he loves Becky he thinks he has to protect her and the apt. But now he is just running around with all the others. I had to show him the doggy door and how to use it but he got the hang pretty quick.

They are doing ok but when u walk through the house you literally do the "dog shuffle" so u don't trip on anyone, or step one anyone. and when one gets petted they all get petted. well wish me luck for the next two weeks, I'll let u know if we all survive haha

2010-04-06T06:34:00.000-07:00

Well another holiday went by and we had two of the grandkids for the week, It was mostly enjoyable but I have a hard time understanding sibling rivalry. I was raised an only child and when I see brothers that can't seem to be in the same room without saying something mean then I don't deal with it too well. It's like the movies where one says, "He's touching me, Or he's looking at me". I keep telling them one day they will be best friends but they look at me like I have two heads.
When my half brothers and sisters were little they stuck together like glue. If one got in trouble they all took the blame. It's kind of like they were all they had. Their mom died when they were little and dad was gone for a while. That's the way I think of siblings.

Anyway I love all my grandkids and want them to love each other and not treat each other bad. Hurt can come from saying mean things to each other. They use to say that "sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me" but that is not true. Names do hurt. A wise bunnie mom once said, "If you can't say nothing nice, do't say nothing at all" (on bambi).

Now Here's a Pair to Draw to...Sid and Rocky...

2010-03-14T06:58:00.000-07:00

Well, now you'll meet my boys! Rocky is the one on the right. He is 3 yrs old. We got his mom in the paper free and didn't know she was pregnant. She had 6 male pups. and he was the one we kept. The rest went to family and believe me when we have a reunion, we have a reunion.
He looks just like his mom and she was a fox terrier.

Then my daughter who loves puppies and never saw one she could resist got " Sid the Kid" not really sure what he is but he is full of personality. My daughter loves puppies but isn't too good with responsiblity so after a few months mom got the pee-poo-chew thing. and yes he does all that. He is a year old now so it's not quit as bad. However he knows how to get what he wants. If vern gets up before I do, then it's time for me to get up so in my face he comes. and visa-versa. I can't get him to chase a ball like a normal dog but he loves to drag sticks in through the doggy door and lay them all over the house. oh yeah and chicken feathers. So it is hard to keep the floor clean with all his treasures.

Rocky is the more mature of the two and sometimes it looks like he stands back and looks at Sid like, "whatever" but then he jumps in and starts playing so there is some puppy still left in him.
Why am I writing about my dogs? well They are a big part of my life and when your kids leave home they sort of become the kids. Vern is funny, he says we have too many dogs, but as soon as he comes in and sits in his chair they jump up in his lap and that's where they stay. As you can see from the picture. All they want is love and their food and water and give you lots of love back. What more can you ask for!

2010-03-09T08:05:00.000-08:00

At the church retreat the thing we talked about was wheither we were autthentic or not. We run around with happy smiles and are hurting or dying inside. I did that for many years. AT age 22 I started going to church and would walk in on Sunday Morning with a big smile and when someone would ask how I was, I'd lie and say I was great. but deep down inside I wasn't. Not because of my situation because I was married and had 2 babies , but because of depression. Depression gets a hold of you and doesn't want to let you go. It tells you your worthless and nobody cares about you and the world would be better off without you. It's a struggle to stay alive everyday. That's why some depressed people stay in bed with the covers over their head.

I went for many years not knowing how anyone could see worth in me. How can those people like me when I didn't like myself. I'm not sharing this to get sympathy. But to let you know that a person doesn' t have to stay that way. It took me years to realize that GOD loved me and was shaping me into someone he could use to touch others. There is actually a scripture that says, "we go through these things so we can help others" . It's hard to understand what someone is going through unless we've been there. Like the old saying, :"walk a mile in my shoes.

They gave us a little can of play-do (which was not smart cause I started making little animal shapes instead of listening to the speaker)oops!!! The play-do represented how GOD takes us as a glob and shapes us into the person HE wants us to be. Not physically but in Charactor. I like the person I am now and I know HE is not finished with me. Now when they ask me how I am I tell them "great and if I'm not there is always tomarrow." Take care until next time. Have a great day!

2010-03-01T07:27:00.000-08:00

What an awsome weekend. My daughter Kat invited me to a womens retreat near Santa Cruz. I left Thursday spent the night with her family and Friday morning we drove over to Scott valley. Beautiful place. It rained hard going over and a few times when we got there. But It's a wonderful place. little cabins and a creek running behind and under some of the buildings. It sure was nice to be waited on for three meals a day and not have to do dishes. wow. We had free time on Saturday and not having heard about the tsunama we drove to the beach in Santa Cruz and the waves were really ripping. Hunderds of people lined the road watching for it. And we started to walk down to the water and the Beach patrol came and told us to leave. That's when we found out what happened. There were actually two surfers out in the water. duh!!! Anyway Thank GOD it didn't do what they thought it would .So we went back and just had a great time at the camp. Wonderful staff, friendly and things couldn't have been more perfect. Thank You to my daughter for taking me. We had a great time sharing with each othe., and with all the other ladies from Kathys' church they are incredable.

2010-02-21T13:38:00.000-08:00

Saturday I went to the Memorial Service for a sweet lady from our chuch, and was amazed at what a legacy she left behind from the way she lived her life. Wonderful, wife, mom, gramma, leader in her community with the girl scouts. And I thought about how awsome it would be to be raised in a family like that. (Gee then I wouldn't have anyone to blame for my shortcomings). Seriously I am who I am because of things in my life.

As a wife and a mother I've tried to do the right things but still have made many mistakes, And I know that my children will be better parents because they learned from my mistakes. Today our Pastor asked what we would tell our families as a testamony to our lives if we could instead of waiting till he gave it at our service. But no matter what , I think I'd just tell them to love GOD with all their hearts and and trust In HIM with everything that comes around. And most of all have Forgiveness because no matter what, people hurt your feelings and make mistakes and If GOD can forgive them , they in turn can forgive others. One of the ditties on my face book says...The values you leave your children mean more then the valubles you leave them.

There is nothing more valuable to leave behind the a good name. Way better then silver or gold.

2010-02-20T07:16:00.000-08:00

I have two favorite things, one is autumn and the other is watching clouds. Do you ever just take the time to watch clouds float through the sky? How amazing to watch the different shapes and colors and think about how beautiful they are instead of the scientific reason they are there.
Once I told my grandson to look at them and he started telling me the reasons they are what they are and why the do what they do. I don't care. Just lay on your back on the ground, or if your older like me sit in a chair and just enjoy them. What a stress buster that is. Even the thunderheads are beautiful. When I was a kid in Ohio that was one of the things my friends and I did for fun, Ya mean to tell me that was fun? yes! more fun then sitting there with gameboys and IPods . strapped to your body.
I took pictures from the window of a plane a few years ago of the biggest most beautiful clouds I'd ever seen and naturally it was a digetal camera and I lost the pictures. So much for me and modern tech. So one of these days if I'm gone and you want to think of me just look up and remember the joy I had with clouds, that's where I'll be.

What a wonderful weekend...

2010-02-15T11:04:00.000-08:00

What a wonderful weekend we just had. Our friends, Judy and Ramon, from Turlock came up for a night and went to church with us on Sunday and we talked them into staying another night. The weather was great so we were able to be outside. Judy and I went for a walk.

I wrote about my friend a while back and how much stuff we did together when we had little kids. We have been friends now for 35 years. we are more like close sisters. We each had hard times growing up and have been through alot but we both realize that is what made us the people that we are and I believe that is what makes us soul-mates.

sunday our pastor talked about having real Peace, as he talked I thought that my "peace "comes from Forgiveness. My friend and I talked about our pass this weekend and we talked about how forgiveness of the ones that hurt us is the only way to get through our lives to grow . How do you look at someone who abuses you either physically or mentally and have forgiveness? Only through GOD. He tells us to let go of our hurt and give it to him and HE willl take care of it. Only then does the healing begin in our lives and we can soar with wings as Eagles.
LET IT GO AND LET GOD HAVE It!

2010-02-07T16:31:00.000-08:00

Update on the two boys that were in the accident next to our property. that morning was so foggy you couldn't see 50 feet and they were trying to pass two vehicles when an SUV came from the other direction. they swerved back into their lane and hit the guardrail then back to the opposite side and hit that guardrail then back to the first side where they hit the rail again and finally stopped. the driver was 17 and had a provisional license which meant he wasn't suppose to have a teenager passenger. He enjured his wrist and fingers and the passenger had a cut by his eye. Think about how lucky they were. no other cars involved and no other injuries. And naturally the rubberneckers trying to see what was going on and some of them didn't have their headlights on. Dummys or what??????? Enough said.

2010-02-03T21:37:00.000-08:00

Talked to my daughter-in-law this morning and she had a real scare. Her daughter Melissa had just drove off to go to school and not 5 minutes later Nancy heard a crash out on 44 highway. naturally thinking the worst she grabbed her shoes and keys and took off to find out. From her house you can't see the highway but coming down the little road and between the ponds and then out the drive-way takes long enough with out being in a panic. But when she got to the road found out it was two teenage boys that had wrecked into the guard rail and weren't seriously hurt. totaled the car but Thank God just a few cuts.
Just those few minutes of not knowing is enough to cause you to lose it when it comes to your child. We are never sure when our last day on this earth will be . I think of two points intersecting. or 5 mins differance and how life can change forever. Especially when your young like those two boys, thinking you'll live forever. Maybe that's why us older folks are a little more cautious cause we know more about life.
I've said before that each day is a new start to fix what we've done wrong yesterday. And to go on and do better. We never know when our last act will be our last act. So we need to do the best we can and live for each day.
I Thank God that he watched over those two boys and kept them safe for today, and that Melissa left when she did and no other cars came over the hill in the fog and where involved.
So many things to be thankful for.

2010-01-31T08:34:00.000-08:00

What a beautiful day, almost spring like. we've had our share of rain the last few weeks which we needed very badly. but today the sun is out and the sky is blue. I am a cloud person. Big puffy white cumulus clouds, with just a touch of grey. It is so awsome to see the changing seasons. I remember as a kid in New Orleans not really seeing any change. just hot, humid to cold wet. Then when we moved to Ohio I enjoyed the beauty of autumn and the snow in winter, and the robins ment spring.
It is so wonderful to live in differant parts of the country to see the differant seasons. Even the desert of Nevada has beauty of seasons.

I watched the news a couple of days ago about the round up of the mustangs in Nevada. and remembered how beautiful it was to see them run free over the prairie when we lived there. The bad thing is they get over populated and don't have enough to eat . Instead of rounding them up they should take a percentage of the stallions and fix them so they will slow the growth down.

Regardless of the buracratic problems we have we still have a great nation and hopefully it will last for a very long time. As the song says"from sea to shinning sea." my heart still swells up when I think of America and our Flag and the people that died to keep us free. Let us not take that for granted. My pray is that GOD will continue to Bless America!

2010-01-23T12:27:00.000-08:00

I am not into politics but today I got an e-mail that really disturbed me. Ever hear of the ACLU? American Civil Liberties Union. Well some how we as americans have given them a lot of power and they are into things that take our freedoms away.
The one I read today is about them wanting to take the cross shaped headstones down from the cemetaries like Arlington. Oh my GOD! It might offend someone. And to stop the Chaplains from saying prayers in the armed forces .It's a shame that we've gotten so lax in our believes in this "country of freedom" that we let them sneak in and take it all away from us. What's next? will they outlaw our flying the flag from our front porch because it will offend someone that is not american?
This country was set up for religious freedom and freedom of speech. but now you have to watch what you say and do in case it is not politically correct. I don't mean it's ok to call people names or make fun of their believes,. We should have to answer for rudeness. but not have the government tell me if I can have a "Merry Christmas" or put a cross up if I want one.
How did we let it get this far, what can be done.? I think that's why the people want another "tea party" cause they are fed up. I know that GOD has to be!!!

2010-01-11T09:23:00.000-08:00

Got a phone call this morning that another granchild got their drivers license. How scarey is that. We have 8 and half are driving and the other half can't wait.
I remember when my kids got theirs, and I was apprehensive about them leaving the house and coming back safely. But that is a preview of them actually leaving the nest and part of becoming adults and us allowing them to do it. Wow now my kids are going through that process. When they are little you teach them to ride a bike and run next to them and let go and watch them take their share of spills. It is not much differant then them leaving the nest and you have to stand by and let them do the same in life. At some point you have to let go of the bike, just like at some point you have to let them go in life.

GOD gave us our kids to raise up and feed and cloth them and teach them right from wrong. at some point we have to turn them over to HIM to shape them and mold them into the persons they will become. But if we keep saving them everytime they have a trial they will not grow. So we learn early to let go of the handlebars and trust that we did the best we could. and "PRAY ALOT" Football coach Vince Lombardi once said," It's not whether you get knocked down; it's whether you get back up." Life has a lot of ups and downs but keep getting back up and you'll get the reward.

2009-12-30T14:11:00.000-08:00

Christmas is gone and New Year is upon us. Now we have a chance at a new begininng with Jan 1, to fix all the stuff we messed up on last year. That's what I like about the new year, time to try to get it right. Get what right you say? The reason we have new years resolutions? It kind of makes us feel better. to take our big eraser and get rid of the stuff on the big board of life that we did wrong and to start over. Kind of like the delete button on the computer. I remember typing on a typewriter and having to use white - out. it was messy and you could still see something had been wrong. but with the delete button I am free to back-up, get rid of it and do again. So maybe this will be the year that I can delete some of these unwanted pounds or walk more, or be less stressed. better at cleaning house. But I've lerned not to stress over all the little things like I use to. If I get it done great, If not there is always January 1 2011.

Hope you all have a full and happy 2010 and get a chance to do things over again better. Take Care and GOD Bless.

2009-12-18T11:06:00.000-08:00

I was just reading a blog my aunt Eva wrote about one of their Christmas' back in the day. She said they were so excited because two of the girls got ribbons for their pigtails and one girl got an apron. my dad got a top and a new pair of overalls. And they all got a little peppermint candy. Wow to enjoy the small things life can give and appreciate it. Those were the hard days but greatful days.

Today we live in a time were kids have too much and aren't satisfied with what they have . The joy of receiving a top and a piece of candy in your stocking has been over taken by the disappointment of not getting the latest game system or expensive skateboard because the tv
has bombarded our kids with things that they don't have and really should have cause all they're friends will get one. Where is the joy of just being with loved ones, or joy of good health. I wish all that read this a Merry Christmas and a time to count their Blessings as we celebrate our Salvation through Grace God has given us. and love those who are near and dear to you. May God Bless you all and Keep you save.

2009-12-11T09:29:00.000-08:00

Bonnie the monkey was one of the best pets I ever had. After we moved to Rosa-lou ranch vern went to LA to get the monkey ,and her cage and a cockatoo and her cage. At that time we were still living in a very small single wide trailer and the cages took up a lot of space. Bonnie was a squarrel monkey. small and very thin. with the cutest face. but she had a temper you wouldn't believe and would only let certain people handle her. At first we took her out of the cage with a leash on, but she didn't like the leash. as long as you stay'd in certain rooms she would stay on your shoulder. She sort of stired you with her little hand on your neck. If you started to go into a room she didn't like she'd chatter and start to pinch you.

I would take her for walks through the part of the house that she would allow and we''d go on safarie looking for daddy-long leg spiders that she ate like they were candy. We'd spot one and I'd raise my hand up , she'd climb up, grab the spider and pop it into her mouth. yum!yum! She also loved meal worms. The guy at the sporting goods store in Shingletown knew they were for her and he always filled the containers with extra. We had a towel in her cage and if something was messy she would wipe it off on the towel before she ate it. Once Sharon gave her a piece of popsicle and she wiped it off and put it under the towel. she went back for it later and it was gone. she got frantic looking through that towel. She knew she left it there but never found it. That was hysterical. We'd sit to eat at the table and her cage was across the room. She'd bang the latch on her door trying to get our attention. sometimes the door wouldn't be latched and she'd open it and run across the room and jump on the table before anyone could stop her and start eating out of someones plate. I'd have to grab her and put her back. When she got mad or excited she'd chatter. (her way of telling you off).

One day she had a stroke and I had to have Vern take her down to have her put to sleep. I couldn''t do it.
She was Rosalie's monkey but I took care of her and loved her. She asked me if I wanted another to take her place, but no there could never be another BONNIE. I was thankful for the 8 years I had her but didn't want to go through it again. Hasta la vista baby, till we meet again.

2009-12-07T07:09:00.000-08:00

I woke up this morning with just a dusting of snow on my car. and since our heater in the house has been out since Thanksgiving, I'm thankful for a wood stove. I grew up in Ohio and would play out in the snow for hours and not feel the cold. But when we lived in Gabbs Nevada and it got to -20 degrees for a week straight, now that was cold. Every walk outside and have the hairs in your nose freeze, not fun. I would hang clothes on the line and they were dried by freeze dry. I can't believe they didn't break. haha. We had to break the ice so the horses could get water.
We don't really want to live in snow so it's good that we are 9 miles belong the actual snow level but sometimes we get a little and it's usually gone by night fall
Anyway everybody have a great day and remember there are 2 rules in life,
1. don't stress the small stuff.
2. everything is small stuff.

bye for now.

2009-12-05T20:48:00.001-08:00

Judy and I are more then friends, we are like sisters. Her girls call me auntie gail and my girls called her aunt Judy. When we lived in Turlock Judy lived in a small house out on west main a little ways from town. The house was surrounded by corn field in the summer and the girls would run through the corn and pretend to get lost having a good time. One day they came running into the house yelling and my daughter kathys eyes were swollen shut. Aparently the pollen got into her eyes and she had an alergic reaction. Judy never seemed to panic, she just washed her eyes out with water and put cold washclothes on them to take the swelling down. It worked but believe me Kat didn't want to do that again.

Judy was teaching me how to make jelly one day and I really don't stop to think sometimes. I picked up the jar and poured the hot jelly , but instead of hitting the jar I hit my thumb. I guess my face went pretty weird cause judy started laughing and grabbed my thumb and put it under cold water. Again with the cold water. Boy do we really need to spend hundreds of dollars on doctors or just use cold water. I did learn not to hold the jar next time I pour something boiling hot into it.
She reminded me of the time we went to the store and was in a hurry. I got out of the car and slammed the door only my thumb was not quit out of the car yet. I opened the door , took my thumb out and looked at it. and was embarrassed cause there was someone sitting in the car next to mine. And my first thought was , I didn't want them to know I was dumb enough to do what I just did. It really didn't hurt till I got in the store and grabbed the item I was going to buy and by the time I got to the register it started hurting and pulsating all the way up my arm. and the tears started pouring out and the lady looked at me like I was nuts. She said " are you ok?" and I tried to tell her I smashed my thumb in the car door but couldn't quit get the words out. Again Judy went hysterical on me. At least she can say I've always been good for a few laughs.

Judy was not there for this one, but when Sharon was a baby another friend was over and I was trying to fix a bottle and she was screaming. I couldn't find the can opening so I took a sharp knife and stabbed down to make a hole in the can. Again I was holding the can like a dummy, and stabbed , but this time the knive went into my hand between my thumb and index finger. I stood there in shock with the knife in my hand and my friend jumbed up and yelled, "did you just stab yourself?" Believe it or not it didn't hurt at first. Needless to say I pulled the knive out and went about my business. Well the baby had to eat.

I've told you of my fear of spiders, Judy and her family use to go to some mountains not too far from Turlock and have a picnic and one time they went she called me and told me that the girls brought back a couple of tarantulas. I told her I wouldn't be coming over to visit. Some time went by and one of her girls had a birthday and she invited us over.. Forgetting about the (you know whats) we went. she had a few people over and as I went to sit down on the couch and was talking Judy started to come over toward me slowly and as I looked next to me on the end table there sat a gallon jar with a tartantula in it. At first I froze, then inhaled and jumped up and ran, only thing was I never exhaled. Her Brother Bill followed me into the other room and began to pound on my back and I finally let the air out. Pour Judy kept apologizing and I was going home. She had them put up but when the others came in the girls wanted to show them off and they didn't get put up before I walked in the door. In my life I've had a couple of small heart attacks and I think that was one of them.

Things are funny now looking back but not when it happened . The kids are all grown up now and all married and have kids of their own. And will learn lifes lessons on how to be the best parents they can be, like Judy and I did. All you can do is your best and alot of praying and hope they turn out ok. And so far they have. But our kids having their own kids will help them understand how hard it is to know to do the right things. and how easy it can be to mess up. Just have a lot of love and forgiveness and things will be ok. till next time.

2009-12-05T08:03:00.000-08:00

In my life I have had soooo many wonderful friends, but one stands out as the best. In 1975 we lived in Turlock, ca. And a preacher talked a bunch of us into putting our kids in his Christian School even though most of us couldn't afford it. It was a guilt trip that if you loved your kids and wanted the best for them you will sacrifice anything for them to have the best education possible. Which is true unless you are already struggling to put food on the table and trying to make ends meet without adding an extra expense.
Anyway, I noticed an old van come into the parking lot everyday and a lady my age with two little girls, my kids ages, made a drop and drove off. We started to say hi, and eventually her van broke down and I would take the kids to school because it was on my route.
If it hadn't been for that school that neither one of us could afford and that van we would have missed out on an awsome friendship. Everything happens for a reason.

Judy and I hit it off right away. we both had weight issues and were on every diet know to man. We both were raising kids and at times didn't know what the heck we were doing. Our kids were the same age around 6 ,7,8 and she had a two year old baby girl. and two years after we met I had Sharon. We were soulmates. If one was down the other lifted her up, and visa-versa.

We use go to town and on the corner of main street in the drug store ,there was a hugh old time scale that you stood on and it took forever for the needle to go back and forth for all the world to see before you finally got your weight. That took guts. We bought excersie suites and took our pictures in them so we could compare the before and after pictures, I don't really remember much excersing though. anyway the before and after pitures never seemed to change.
Once we bought tennis rackets and decided that was the way to go. Only when we got to the park the gate was padlocked shut and we couldn't get in. However there were two skinny people in there batting the little ball back and forth over the net. and after we watched them for a couple of minutes I decided to try to squeeze into the little space. Not being able to accomplish this . I yelled out "Hey how'd you guys get in there? To which I thought I was going to lose Judy who was laughing hysterically. Our friendship has been full of little events like that.

I guess I really shouldn't tell this one but it goes to show how connected we were.
My mom lived near bye and had a neighbor that bought a baby goat. She had it tied up outside her back door and mom's little house was facing it. She called me one day really upset cause the neighbor had planned to raise the goat and eat it. Mom was really sensitive when it came to little animals.So I asked her what she wanted me to do about it. She said to come get the goat when they were'nt home and take it to Judy's. So I called Judy and we went over when the coast was clear and took the baby goat. We took it to Judy's house and her husband spray painted black spots on it so no one would know. We got away with it thinking we had done a good deed. (not actually thinking that it was stealing but saving a little life.). Well a month went by and the lady that had owned the goat was cutting my hair and started talking about how someone stole her goat. oh boy, I was in the hot seat. I might have took the goat but I couldn't lie about it. She point blank asked , did I take her goat and I told her yes but how did she know it was me? She said my mom told her. So we had to fess up and bring the goat back. so much for our life of crime huh? Which shows that you will get found out if you do something stupid.

Mom never drove so I would take her to the store and she hated to go with Judy and I cause we'd be playing around in the store and mom wouldn't even walk with us. cause she'd be too embarrassed. more about our adventures later. bye

2009-11-30T09:02:00.000-08:00

Wow, I can't believe it is almost Christmas. I complain because they start on Christmas before the Thanksgiving turkey is carved. But if not , it seems the next 27 days sneak up on you.
When our kids were little I was never good at buying presents ahead of time like my friend who bought all year long and put them away for the big day. Nope, I was one of the last minute shoppers who sweated how I was gonna get what I wanted to get. It also seemed that by putting off till the last minute it was harder to buy cause there seemed to always be a money shortage. Merl Haggards song, "If we make to Dec" was one of my most sung songs. haha, Thanks Merl. But you know looking back now with the kids all grown and having families of their own. It showed that it wasn't the presents that were so important as the family love we had for each other. Sure there were times when I would have bought them everything they wanted but I don't think they would have turned out to be the wonderful adults they are. And I am most greatful for that.

There are times at the Holiday that you see people in need and then people seem to reach out more to help. Maybe that is GOD's plan to teach us to give to others. We search our hearts and feel for others. When I was a kid in New Orleans the time others gave because mom's tips were stolen and she had nothing,
There was a Christmas when our kids would have had nothing if it hadn't been for others. (Cowboys for Christ) In Nevada.

Our pastor talked about doing a good thing for others and in turn those people will do a good thing and so on and so forth. Like the movie "Pay it Forward. Gee isn't that kind of on the premise of "Do on to others, as you would have them do unto you?" If I remember right GOD came up with that concept.

It seems more relevant at the Holidays but should be all year round.
Jesus was our gift from GOD, so I give presents. Also Jesus is the light of the world and I like the lights at Christmas. Have a wonderful Holiday and remember to help others because you don't know when you will need it back. Merry Christmas.

2009-11-23T16:32:00.000-08:00

We came from Gabbs in 1984 and stay'd with my dad for a couple of weeks looking for a job. Vern answered an add in the paper for someone to cut wood temporary. So we went to Shingletown and met Rosalee and her then partner Louis, who owned a 600 acre ranch. They lived in LA and had some people working here that left in a hurry after tearing things up and stealing. So when we came up they were leary of us and we were leary of them. But when they found out that Vern was a jack of all trades they put him to the test and if he could fix a piece of equiptment he would have the job as manager and caretaker. He did it and we got the job.

We started out with 3 kids and 2 adults in a single wide 1 and 1/2 bedr trailer. Mike slept on the couch and the girls doubled up in a single bed. Later Vern went to LA and picked up a Monkey and a 6 foot tall cage, and another cage and a cockatoo. So needless to say we were wall to wall for about a year. The monkey and cockatoo belonged to Rosalee. But I took care of them for about 8 years. The monkey is a story for another day. At that time there were cows and a couple of horses on the ranch. years down the road we even had ostriches and emus. Now all we have are two dogs and 12 hens and one rooster. We lived on the ranch for 14 years and because of money problems we left for 5 years and now we've been back for 7 yrs. But I'm getting ahead of my self. so I think I'll quit for now and go fix dinner.

2009-11-23T07:07:00.000-08:00

We had just moved to Turlock at Christmas and had two kids. Mike 2 and Kathy 6 months, I didn't know anyone and Vern was gone alot on his job working for a dairy supply on 24 hour call. Close to summer people from differant churches would come by and knock on the door and ask if I was a Christian. Well I didn't know what a christian was exactly and I figured they were good people and I was a good person so I'd tell them yes. and they'd say great and leave and never come back. One older man," Mr Fred," came by several times and invited me to his church. I always said I'd go but didn't. One day I decided to try it and felt great about having people to talk to so I started to go. Even though I went for the wrong reasons I learned about GOD and Jesus and their love for me and found out that a Christian is someone who knows they are a sinner and needs to ask for forgiveness and except Jesus into their heart as their Saviour. So yes I was a good person but not yet a child of GOD.

We moved to Mae street in Turlock and was there for 6 years. By the time Kathy was 6 and Mike was 8 Vern's daughter Dee Dee came to live with us for a year and right after she came I found out we were going to have another baby. So we would have a full house.
We always had some kid living with us so that was nothing new. I was always trying to save the world and my house was open to any kid who needed a temporary safe-haven.

Dee was a good kid but at 14 had way too much responsiblities for her age. She took care of her 3 brothers at her mom's and helped with most of the house and horse chores.
When she came to our house we treated her like one of the kids and that was hard on her. She kind of enjoyed being a kid but felt like she had no purpose. After a year, she wanted to marry someone she met at church and we told her to wait till she was 18. She decided to go home to Oregon and her mom let her get married. They had two boys and eventually were divorced.
Meanwhile Vern's son Chris came to live with us for a year. He was a jokster and was always joking at school . we told him to watch how he said things but he said something to a kid one day that didn't think it was funny and he got busted in the mouth. He ate out of a straw for a while.
We were too strick on him and he eventually went home to his mom. He doesn't have anything to do with us but we have a good relationship with Dee.

When the kids were growing up I took everything personal. I thought if they did something wrong it was my fault, maybe I was a bad parent. Since I didn't work and parenting was the only job I had, then I had to be perfect at it. It took me years to find out that kids make mistakes and that's how they learn. Don't get me wrong, we had great kids, but kids will be kids.
When Sharon was 4 we moved to Gabbs Nev. and was there for 1 1/2. From there to Redding.
Next stop is Rosa-Lou ranch.

2009-11-18T09:15:00.000-08:00

I talked to a fellow yesterday that I hadn't seen in a while , and he told me he lost his wife of 45 years back in May. We talked for a while and he was havning a hard time with the reason God took her even though they were in a ministry together and had served the Lord for years.

It caused me to think of others that I've recently been around and asking GOD why, this is what I came up with.

In Isaiah 57 : 1&2 it says,,,,, The righteous perishes and no man takes it to heart: Merceful men are taken away from evil, He shall enter into peace.

I believe we are on a journey and this earth is just a giant detour. also as I was thinking about it this morning GOD told me this and I wrote it down.

WE"VE BEEN INVITED

We've been invited to a pot-luck, a Great Banquet. We all leave in our individual cars and are headed out along the road. Some arrive earlier then others and some have small detours or are just a little slower and get there later.

The Banquet Table is ready and those that get there first are waiting for the rest of us.
It seems to take forever but it is just a twinkle in GOD's eye.

When we all arrive the feasting will be great, but until then we will all just have to wait.

So that's my Blog for the day and if it helps anyone then I'm greatful. We've all lost someone in our life and when it is fresh we just don't know how we're going to keep going. But that's part of the journey. Revelations 2-3 talks about enduring till the end. And that's what we need to do. And GOD does help to heal the hurt with time. Take care and GOD BLESS.

2009-11-17T06:10:00.000-08:00

In Chesterland while I was in Jr high, I had a friend named Princess Mitchell. She had something wrong with her appearance that made her face look like a caveman. Her hands were always cold. But she had a heart of gold. Very sweet person. However as you can imagine the kids at school were relentless with their teasing. They called her the monkey and I was the monkey keeper because I was her friend. It didn't bother me but made me mad that they didn't even try to get to know her. I've often wondered what ever happened to her. we lost contact when I move away.

What makes people always put down those who are differant? Today Thank GOD it isn't as bad as it was . But there are still bullies in the schools that have to make themselves feel better then others by pushing them around. I went by a school on Cypress Ave last year, late for a doctor apt. and there were three boys surrounding one smaller boy and he was crying. It touched my heart. If I hadn't been late I would have stopped in the office and reported it. I thought about that kid for a long while. How many of these kids are going to have enough ,and one day take their own life or take a gun to school . The teachers have a lot to deal with today but they also need to bring up the topic of consequeces of being a bully.
Joyce Myers says that if you are bullied or controlled as a child it is natural for you to become a bully or a controlling person as an adult. It's a chain reaction. What a sad cycle it becomes.
gotta go for now. bye

2009-11-15T15:33:00.000-08:00

After our accident in Bakersfield, We rented a two bedroom house in Ceres Ca. I had quit school in New Orleans and decided to go back so I enrolled in the high school around the corner. all the other kids were in school except Carl. Mom took care of him and dad all day and the house and when I got home I pitched in. Dad was serverly hurt in that accident and had major headaches for years. It caused him to be violent at times and there were alot of things that he doesn't remember that we do. Sad thing is there wasn't much he could do to control his temper.

He had an old underwood typwriter that he would drag out if anyone did anything wrong and it might take an hour or so but he'd type the whole incedent out and who all was standing there. Then he'd ask each one by name if they did whatever. That person would say no. He'd type no. Needless to say that was worst then just getting a punishment cause you knew it was coming. that was in 1969 and he still has that typewriter and it still works, 2009. wow I'd like to see a computer that worked that well. haha.

Anyway down the street there were some people whose name was Tubbs. I was friends with Georgia and her brother, I kid you not, Bubba. and were just friends. Nothing else. we'd go for walks to get out of the house or I'd go down there. One day Georgia was sitting on the couch watching tv and her brother was cleaning his shotgun in the bedroom and it went off. Knocked her off of the couch. She went to the hospital with lots of buckshot in her arm and leg but was ok.
Her other brother came home from Viet Nam around Christmas and brought a friend. His name was Vern. I met him and wasn't that impressed. He and Georgia and me and Bubba went to the drive in. still not impressed.
A few weeks went by and he came to the house wanting to kow if I knew were her brother was . We had had a fight and weren't speaking. I told him no. So he asked me if I want'ed to go get a soda and I said sure. So we kind of started dating and he kept saying, "we're getting married one of these days." and I thought to myself,"yeah right". anyway three months later things were strained at home and I had never been on my own and was scared so when he said that I told him,"lets' go" and we did. That was 40 years ago last april. I won't say it has all been easy because I had a lot of growing up to do and no example of what a good wife was. I knew what not to do. But I was 19 going on 12.

The first year we were married we lived on Hamburger Helpers cause I had never learned to cook. Now Vern won't let them in the house. And I tell him" But honey there are so many new types out there. and he gives me that look. Today I can cook fairly well. nothing to brag about but he hasn't starved. Still my favorite is, give me hamburger meat and I can fix a million dishes.
I also didn't know how to do laundry. There was some stuff called Mrs Stewetts bluing that you used instead of bleach. I figured if a little did a good job , a littlle more would do better. OOPS! at least it was all a nice even blue and not tie dyed.
ok more later. have a great day GOD BLESS. Till we meet again

2009-11-13T17:27:00.000-08:00

I was in the car listening to a christian radio station , and they were talking about respect and the lack there of. It got me to thinking about growing up in New Orleans in the 50's and everything was " yes mam, no mam, please , thank you, may I? well you get the picture. We didn't dare call an adult by their first name. Then in 1960 we moved to Ohio and I actually got laughed at if I said "yes mam." So not wanting to be laughed at I went with the flow.( except at home!) The first thing a child should learn is respect for parents, then it follows to teachers, police, others in general. Somewhere along the line ,grown-ups decided they didn't want to feel old so they wanted to be called by their first name. Parents decided they wanted to be their kids friends instead of parents. and little by little respect just went down the drain. Use to be that when an elderly person came into a room or on a bus, a younger person would stand up and let them have their seat. Men opened the car door for a lady, Oh yeah and there was no cussing in front of a lady. Now the girls cuss as bad as the guys if not worse. I guess to make them look all grown-up and bad. Who knows. Nothing like walking down the street and have some kid bump into you and instead of saying "excuse me" they cuss you out instead.

Our society got to a place where both parents were worked and no one was home for the kids. That was the day of the " latchkey kids". Then as time went on some parents were too wasted or drunk to raise the kids. so that left outside influence like gangs. Don't get me wrong we still have some great kids out there. But it's the minority now.

If you don't respect yourself then you won't respect anyone else. Your parents, teachers, country. GOD. Arithea Franklin sang about it back in the 60's and. Where has it gone. who will teach the next generation?????

2009-11-09T05:46:00.000-08:00

Morning! I just prove read my old blogs and found a bunch of spelling mistakes. let me explain. I am a good speller but not so great a typer. Sometimes my fingers try to keep up with my brain and then I get goofed-up. well you say try the prove read dork!! No I tried that once and after writing a big blog I hit the prove-read and it disappeared into happy blog heaven, never to be found again. So I publish it and then prove read. haha. I know that' s not the way to do it. maybe cause I am left handed, I do it backwards.

I will be bouncing back and forth on this "The Life Of Gail" as I remember things. so bare with me.

When we lived in Chesterland Ohio, I had a lot of friends on our street that we hung out together. Laura and her sister, Debbie Basel, Wendy, .The guys were Doug Cormack, David Taylor, Timmy and Tommy. David Kitchen .Most of the time we all got along great but one time I remember the guys decided to make an ice pond in the woods for skating, and they smoothed out a section and hauled water and worked on it and it froze. One day Debbie and I decided we would take our slede and play on the ice. We didn't know it would tear it up. but it did. and when the boys found it they came after us. They tore us up. not bad just enough to scare us. we never did it again.
On another occassion Deb and I were going down a small hill on the slede. she was laying on it and I was pushing and when I jumped on the back we hit gravel and came to an abrupt stop with her face on the gravel. ouch!

We had a rollar rink that we 'd go to on Saturday's. The owner loved kids and he and his wife had none. So he bought and old bus and had a different route on Saturday and Sunday. He'd pick us up and not charge anything for the gas. Then it was .75 to get in and .25 for skates. Every Saturday I'd try to go. Never got good at skating but it was fun. We lived on a horseshoe shaped road and you could look out the kitchen window and see the bus on the main road. That's when my step-dad would remind me that I had chores and did I do them or I couldn't go. So I'd run around like a crazy person trying to get them done. As an adult I could see he wasn't being mean but I had responsiblities. It's funny how when you become a parent you see things a lot different then when you were the kid.

We bought that house on Cherry Lane in 1960 for $ 17,500 on an acre of property. and eventually added a garage. I love that house and I loved the neighborhood. I went to West Geauga Jr High and I think that was the happiest I ever was in school. It was Back when girls couldn't wear pants to school and the skirts had to cover the knees. If there was snow we could wear them to school under ourr dresses and go into the bathroom to remove them before class. And then put them back on before getting onto the bus to go home. One thing we did everymorning was turn the radio on to see if it was a snow day. Boy we loved snow day.
This was when the girls were starting to wear the pointed toe shoes and Harry bought me black and white saddle oxfords. I hated those shoes and tried my best to tear them up so I could get some new ones. but try as I did I couldn't. I would use them to slide down the hill in front of our house. They just wouldn't wear out. Which says a lot for the type of shoe. My feet were froze when I went in but the shoes were in tact.

Harry bought a brand new Volkswagon and I never remember him putting chains on that car. The snow plow would come by early in the morning and he and I would have to go out to the end of the drive way and shovel the snow that had been put there by the plow.
He tried to teach me to drive that thing once and I was scared to death because it was stick shift and I couldn't seem to get it all right. One day we went up a hill and stopped at a stop-sign and it started rolling backwards and he was screaming at me and the more he screamed the worse I got. So when we stopped at the bottom of the hill I got out and walked home and that was the end of my driving lessons. To this day I can hardly drive a stick shift. I can still hear him yelling. ok this is long enough for today, see ya later I gotta go. Have a good day.

2009-11-05T17:15:00.000-08:00

It was really strange being an only child for 17 years and then having 4 brothers and sisters. They were great kids. Dad lived in a small 2 bedroom house on lake Bld . I slept on the couch in the living room. The only heat it had was a wood stove. I had never been around wood het and had no clue how to start a fire. The rule was first up made the fire , so I would lay on the couch and pretend to be asleep until dad got up and did it. We used pine and he always cautioned me that if you put too much in the pitch would catch the house on fire. So I was scared to mess with it. Dad drove truck and eventually I had to learn how cause he was gone till late.

We got there almost the middle of Oct and no one had signed Mary up for school. She turned 5 in Oct. Before we came along they had babysitters..Mom was not very good with me when I was little but she loved those kids and was a lot better with them. They hardly ever got into trouble but when they did I was the one that had to discipline them and I hated it. Usually siblins fight and get each other into trouble but these kids actually stood up for each other. If someone did something wrong and the others knew who did it no one would tell. Not like the kids now huh?
We were only there till Jan and we went to Huntington Beach to visit my aunt Rita and on the way home25 miles south of Bakersfield a marine was going home to see his new born son and fell asleep at the wheel and hit us. The kids were laying down sleeping in the back of the station wagon and didn't get a scratch. dad was driving and got knocked out of the car and hit his head on the door frame. I woke up under the steering wheel with blood all down the front of my shirt. but it was a tiny cut to my chin. It justed looked bad. Mom had a crushed foot but was out flagging some one down to help. Remember this was before seatbelts and cell-phones. A trucker stopped and called for help. Dad was in a coma for about two weeks and had severe head tramma that took him years to get over. When he came to he didn't know us but eventually got his memory back. He had bad headaches for years after that .

Dad's mom and sisters took the kids to their house in Modesto since dad would be in the hospital for a long while and mom and I got a motel across the street from the hospital. There was a fast food place and we'd eat a bowl of chili everyday. My aunt paid for the motel and sent us money to eat on. This happened four months after my motorcycle wreck in New Orleans. So yes I do believe in Angels and Miracles. More at another time. bye

2009-11-03T20:42:00.000-08:00

When I was a kid we traveled a lot. I think my mom was part gypsey. After moving from Missouri we went to New Orleans and then mom married Harry and we moved to Ohio, she and I went by train, Then twice we went from Ohio to Huntingbeach Ca and back with my uncle who drove truck for North American Van Lines. Then when I was 16 mom divorced Harry and we went back to New Orleans for a year, then back out to Huntingbeach to my aunts via the truck. It seemed that everytime we needed help my aunt Rita was there. She was a wonderful person. She had three kids were typical california beach lovers. I went to Marina High School for about a week.
When I was growing up in Ohio, that was the days with the Beach Boys and Jan and Dean and everyone dreamed of going to California and living on the beach. Well mainly cause we all thought the whole state was beach. duh!!!! was I surprised. Anyway back to Marina High, I was always a pudgy thing and the first day going into gym class and the showers,, I saw a couple of hundred Barbie Dolls and they looked nothing like the little hay-seed kids I was use to seeing. I think they were all getting ready to be movie stars. I didn't want to go back. It's funny how our imaginations work at times. I pictured California being this perfect place like the beach blanket bingo movies with Gidget. and when I got there it blew me away. Anyway about that time mom wanted to know if I wanted to meet my real dad that I hadn't seem since I was 4 1/2. Well I don't know considering all my life I heard nothing but bad things about the guy.

So from my aunts we got on a greyhound and went to Modesto where I met him and his 4 little kids from his second wife. He lived in Redding and came down to see me. It was kind of strange at first but he walked right up to me and gave me a big old bear hug. ( and still gives them after all these years.)
After mom left him he came back to Ca and eventually got another family but his second wife died in a car accident leaving him with the little ones. Albert was 9, Georgia was 8 mary was turnign 5 and carl was 3 . After visiting for a few hours Believe it or not mom and dad decided they wanted to go back together after all that time and we moved to redding. So there started another adventure in a new place. and more at another time good night and GOD Bless.

2009-10-28T09:03:00.000-07:00

I once read in Ann Landers, "Hatred is like acid, it destroys the vessal in which is is stored as well as the object on which it is poured". I've been thinking alot about how we eat ourselves up with anger or unforgiveness cause someone hurt us years ago. In my 59 years, GOD has shone me through many differant people that hanging on too hurts will only cause me to suffer and rob me of the joy that GOD wants to give me in my life.. I'm reading a book by Joyce Myers called "NEVER GIVE UP". I am not one to underline in a book but every page has something that hit me, that was so important I just want to go back and hit up the highlights again.
I've always been one to "Give Up" if the going gets to rough, but I find myself learning to lean on Jesus and trust that He will protect me through my trials. Joyce said that when we encounter tests and trials, if we will embrace them and refuse to run from them, we will learn some lessons that will help us in the future and become stronger. pg 142. I like her attitude that when someone hurts us, just give it over to GOD, get over it and Go on. Wow , how easy would that be? No I'm not preaching, I'm just thinking of real life things that can get you down and rob you of your joy ,if you don't stop them before they grow. "Learn to let Go and let GOD"take you through anything that comes your way. Have a great day and see ya later.

2009-10-24T16:24:00.000-07:00

It's funny how certain smells or sounds can bring back memories from long ago. When I was around 7 we lived in Louisiana and I would sometimes go spend time at my gramma and grampa,' Grampa worked on some kind of construction sight and gramma and I would take him a plate of hot food wrapped up in foil and visit with him while he ate. It would be summer and there are times when I get in my car and can feel the same type of heat that was there when we would ride to the job-site. Of course in the 50's there was no air-conditioner in the car but it didn't seem like you knew any differance. Then after we visited gramma and I would drive back to the house and have our lunch.

When we'd go to my mom's aunt Dora's house in Mississppi, I believe, They had a screened porch with a bed on it because it would get hot and sometimes we'd sleep out where we could get some air. There was a separate room where the cooking was done and and a long table where the farm hands ate. When they got done then the rest of us would eat. There was alot of good times around the table. mostly grown-ups talking cause that was back when children should be seen and not heard, unless they were spoken to. I think those times when the family ate together were the best. not like today where no body comes to the table anymore unless it's Thanksgiving or something special. When my kids were small that's how we found out what was going on in school and how life was going. Oh yeah I forgot to mention, we always had one tv. and everybody sat around it and watched the same program. (My daughter remembers being the remote control before they invented them.)haha. But today, everyone has their own tv in their room and there is very little family time. It's sad, because this generation doesn't have those kind of memories.
Our pastor friend Leon Chambers use to say we were building memories with the things we did in our lives. What kind of memories are being built today. Last week my grandaughter Stpehanie that never gets up early called me at 7:30 am and I said "what are you doing up so early."? She said"gramma we were just at your house a few days before and everyone always gets up early at your house" Plus she was wrapped up in her blanket drinking coffee and listening to it rain. NOW THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, BUILDING MEMORIES, HAHA
I hope if I leave my grandkids any thing it is to dream and build memories for their kids and love GOD. Well that 's all for now. see ya later aligator, after while crocodile.

2009-10-18T18:15:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a week it has been. My grandson Matt and his beautiful wife Sarah came from their wedding the 3rd of Oct in conneticut, and joined us for his mom's wedding here at the ranch on the 10th. Everything went great. The weather was perfect since it was an outdoor affair. We ended up with 12 people and 9 dogs in our house for two days. That was interesting. Some of the wedding party was sick with flu and was happy to spread it around.

The wedding was in Rosalies and Lees front yard and the guests were taken there in a hay wagon driven buy my husband Vern. Then he went back and got the bride and her entourage and brought them back in the wagon. It was then that I noticed that the bride and her maids of honor,(her daughters) were barefoot. That was differant. I thought it was cause somebody forgot their shoes and the others didn't want to embarress them but that was in the plan.

Then after the "I do"s", The happy couple rode off into the sunset in Verns mule, flowing with streamers and cans. The guests were then taken by hay wagon back to the theatre where we had the reception. It was beautiful. Okie but beautiful. Oh, yeah, did I mention that Roy, (the groom) is an okie? That's why we love him cause he's just down home folks and they don't get no better then that.

Roys' daughter's out did themselves with the food prep and decorations. Kathy kept saying everything was bought at the $1.00 tree. It was true but ,everything was great. It was amazing how elegant everything looked.

So my grandson and wife are gone back to Italy, Kathy and Roy are starting their life as The Terry's, two days after the wedding we had a big storm that blew branches and had lots of rain. And I have had a cold for 4 days. But now life will go back to normal and GOD is good.

We have to give Thanks for the little things that come to us in life so we can enjoy everything, the good with the bad. The sunshine and the rain. God Bless.

2009-10-05T09:42:00.000-07:00

Good morning, did I mention my total fear of spiders and snakes? Well Gabbs is in the desert so what do you think that means? Yep, lots of them. GOD knew that I wouldn't survive so I guess He kept them pretty well out of my sight. Except once a year in the early fall when it started getting cold we would be going into town and up ahead you saw this solid black mass crossing the pavement. The tarantulas were coming down from the hills to the valley and as you ran over them there were hundreds of crunches. I'd be screaming for everyone to put their windows up. All I could picture was them flipping into the car from the tires. Vivid imagination huh? I use to think that was the worse thing I've ever seen till someone told me to look up "camel spiders" on the internet. There is no way I'd be going to Iraq. Look it up. You wouldn't go either.
I use to think that GOD should have allowed us to talk to the animals so we could explain to them that we won't hurt them if they don't hurt us, but it seems HE did that once in the garden of Eden and that didn't work out to well. We have rattle snakes were we live and believe me when I go for a walk I keep my eyes open. Vern and I were watching a show on animal planet the other night and this guy in Phonex Arizonia goes out and watches for rattles to save them from being run over by cars when they try to lay on the warm pavement. How nuts is that???? Just let nature take it's coarse I say.
My husband is afraid of bees and I'm not, so I save him from his bees and he saves me from my spiders. Pretty good arrangement ?

Then on top of being afraid of spiders we drive up in front of the school in Gabbs to enroll the kids and there painted on the side of the school is a gigantic tarantula. (The school mascot).
CUTE!!!!!!.
In Gabbs there were two stores, not great, one was filthy . I went in there one day to get a box of Grits and after going through 5 boxes with weavils I wasn't in the mood any more. Plus they had a german shepard who thought the bottom rows needed to be waterd regularly,(I kid you not), so you only had one you could go to. It was like a little mom and pop store. Twice a month you drove 80 miles into Fallon to Safeway. 20 miles of that was dirt road if you went over the mountain instead around through Gabbs. There were two bars and 4 churches. one Assembly of GOD, one Morman, one community and a Catholic Priest came in once a month. There was also no full time doctor. One flew in once a week.

Gabbs is where we met some livelong friends, the Chambers, Leon, Sany, Lavonne and David. He was our pastor. Betty ,Orville, and Billy Bird. After we moved to Redding Ca. They all ended up here also and we went to the same church for years in Palo Cedro. We were known as the Gabbites. haha. Leon has since gone on to be with the Lord. more about him later.

How did we surive living in a place like that you say??? We loved it. But our boss wasn't able to pay us very often so we had to leave. Next Stop Redding California and Rosa-Lou ranch.

2009-10-04T14:00:00.000-07:00

I 'm home from church and it was great. So back to Gabbs. We had a Green Ford Pinto that we put many miles on taking the kids back and forth to town for school. Remember, 14 miles of dirt road and 15 miles of pavement one way. You wouldn't think there was anything to see in the desert but you'd be wrong. There were wild mustangs grazing or running and coyotes coming out of the alfalfa field in the morning after a night of feasting on rabbits. Once we saw a little furry thing going down in the ditch and us stupid city slickers though that it was a bear cub. and stopped the car and got out to chase it. Come to find out it was a badger and they are not the nicest of animals. Plus what would have happened if it had been a bear cub? where would the mom have been.? Duh!! that's why I said we were stupid. Just didn't think.

We had a diesel generator and couldn't afford to run it all the time so most of the time there was no electricity. At night the kids would do their homework by kerosene light until they talked their dad into turning the generator on for a while. We ran it mainly to draw water, adn do laundry and showers then it went off again.
Our Pastor friend gave the girls little ponies and Mike a green broke Mustang. He road that thing way out into the desert and loved it. The bad thing was when we left we had to leave them behind. Kathy learned from our friend how to put the saddle on her pony and I thought it was too tight so I told her to loosen it. She said it had to be that way and when she wasn't looking I loosened it. well she got on and took off and that saddle started falling sideways. she was screaming and I was laughing so hard I couldn't move to help her. Of course she didn't think it was funny. Thank GOD she didn't get hurt but it was a memory worth keeping.

This was in the 80's but when you saw the ranchers out herding their cows it was just like something out of a western. Mc Kays were our neighbors, 14 miles away and wonderful people. She was Morman and he was Catholic and they had a baby every year. She'd be pregnant while carrying one in a papose on her back while herding cows. But these people were wonderful people. The kids were on horses before they could walk. They would come to our church and fill a pew and never a peep out of them. Good natured and happy all of them. Why can't the world be like that? They had no electricity either, and she not only made her own bread but ground the wheat her self from 100 pound sacks.

The ranchers and the farmers there worked with each other. One farmer would have a piece of equiptment and another would have another. they helped each other. Come branding time the different ranchers got together and helped each other. (Do onto others as you would have them do unto you.) Sounds like the golden rule to me. But life there was simple and taught us a lot.

More tomorrow. bye for now.

2009-10-04T07:10:00.000-07:00

This morning I actually had to turn the heater on for the first time this year. 64 is a little too chilly in the house. The thing is next Saturday when Kat gets married we thought some of the guests would want to sleep in tents . So we're praying for nice weather .
We never went camping when I was a kid but after our kids were born Vern and I went a couple of times in a tent then got a camper. Rouging it for a weekend was fun and helped you get away from phones and tvs and neighbors. Gave you time to spend uninterupted time with your family. Now you can't do that cause everyone has cell-phones and small tvs. So what is the purpose of camping today.
We actually went on a 2 year camping trip (so to speak) when Sharon was 4 , Kathy was 12, and Mike was 14. We lived in Turlock CA. and Vern was doing construction work but the economy wasn't great . A friend of his offered him a job on a ranch in Nevada. So he thought he'd try it. One weekend the kids and I got in the car and went to see what it was like. FORGET IT! No way was I gonna live in the desert 14 miles from the nearest neighbor on dirt road. Then 15 more miles to a little town of 750, Gabbs. NO WAY, NO WAY! Well as it were we went back to Turlock and the next day found out that our landlord had to sell the house we were in. SOOOOOO that door was closed and the door to Nevada was opened giving us no choice. I went dragging my feet and believe me not real happy. It reminded me of Green Acres. (goodbye city life, green acres we are here).....
The kids loved it, It was an old ranch site in the middle of a valley, (Gabbs Valley Ranch) and you could see for miles all around us. We had a 100 watt lightbulb on the porch that could be seen on the highway 14 miles away. The sky was so blue it hurt your eyes. More stars at night then I'd ever seen. Three days after we got there and unpacked we had a wall of dirt that came across the desert and I just knew we'd be blown to OZ. The girls and I were in the trailer and vern was in the field in a case tractor, Mike was in the barn. When the storm passed our cab-over camper had blown across the yard like a piece of paper. and we had 3 inches of dirt in the trailer to which we had to start all over again with cleaning. And it never happened again while we were there! Some welcome huh? Lots of adventures and spiritual growing happened there. But for now I gotta go get ready for church. Have a great day!

2009-10-03T07:33:00.000-07:00

Good morning, well today my oldest grandson Matt is getting married, it doesn't seem like 21 years have gone by. They are getting married in Conniticutt in the fall. It doesn't get more beautiful then that.
Ohio in the fall was my favorite time of the year, The colors changing and the crispness in the air. We use to be able to pile leaves in the gutter of the street and burn them. Then walking to school in Mentor I'd walk through the smoke and pretend I was in the clouds. I always said that when it's my time to go, I want to go in the fall so I can soar over the new England states so I can see the fall colors just one more time. My stepdad had a red and black flannel shirt that I liked to wear in the fall and I still remember that shirt. maybe I'll buy one just so I can wear it and step back in time. Isn't it funny how we look back and see some of the best times of our lives and remember smells and sights and it just takes us back. I can go to the store and smell an apple and it will take me back to scenes from apple butter festivals. I use to want Vern to invent a headset that would let you plug it into the tv so you could think something and it would show up on the screen. That would be cool cause then you could really share your memories.

2009-10-02T06:41:00.000-07:00

My Uncle got me started writing this stuff and now I think I'm enjoying it. As I read his blog and his two sisters and the hard times they went through as kids during the depression ,one thing I realized,,,There were 5 of them and was able to be happy and draw from each others strenght.

I was an only child and sometimes it got pretty lonely but it was easier for mom to take care of just the two of us as long as she did. We didn't have much but we didn't need much. With more mouths to feed she would have had more responsibilities. So it worked out for the best.When I was about 14 she went to work at a hospital in Cleveland on the night shift and again slept in the daytime. But I was in School so when I got home she would be up. Most of the time when I was home I'd run the neighborhood with my friends. A couple of houses up were the Taylors, Betty was about 4 years older then me but kind of let me hang out with her. Her family was nice and I liked it there. She had two brothers, David and Frank. David was my age. That was my second home. They had a dog that the neighbor kids use to tease and he got kind of mean. But since I was there all the time he knew me and I wasn't afraid of him. One day I was waiting outside while they ate dinner and was playing with him. I sat down in a chair and after a while stood up and he jumped up in my face and bite me on the lip. I must have stood on his tail or maybe rocked the chair on him but he got me. I saw stars. I staggered over to the back door and banged on the door and when they opened the door I had blood all over me. I went into the bathroom ( kind of in shock). and was looking at the ripped up lip when my mom walked in the bathroom I smiled at her and she passed out. So we jumped in their car and headed to the doctor. They kept saying they were gonna kill the dog and I started crying cause I didn't want them to do that and after everyone calmed down I got 12 stitches in my lip and the dog got to live. But after that I was scared of him and they always had to put him up when I came over.
The Taylors didn't know that they were an anchor at that time in my live. When things got too rough at home I'd go to their house.

Harry wasn't that bad a guy, he was just married to the wrong person. I know that's awful to say but mom didn't know how to be married or happy. she worried all the time. If there wasn't anything to worry about then she'd worry about that. Harry would go to work everyday and come home tired and instead of saying "Hi honey how was your day", mom would start in on him about something he didn't do or the bills or something. A person can only take so much so the fight would be on. That's when I'd head to the woods or to Taylors house for a while. Actually good ALWAYS comes out of . When I got married it helped me to see what NOT to do.
I loved my mom but we did come from a long line of bossy naggy women. What's even worse when I finally met my dad, the women on his side are strongwilled and independant so I really had a doubledose. Poor Vern. Haha Ok this is starting to sound like a soap opera so I'll go for now.
Have a great day.

2009-09-30T04:48:00.000-07:00

My friend Aprils' parents got a divorce and her mom couldn't afford to take care of the kids so the girls went to some kind of home.The mom got a job and after a few months took April home but not Claudia. She was 15 at this time. The group home went to the rollar rink one night and Claudia and some friends snuck out for a joy-ride. They were goofing around and had a wreck and she died. It was very sad to see her in that coffin. What a waste of a beautiful girl. I never saw April again and I've wondered what ever happened to her and her brother Lee.

It's strange how life goes good for a while and then bam!! It's over. And your left with all the questions, maybe if I would have done this or maybe if I had gone in a different direction. But it all boils down to we each have a day assigned to die and nothing can change that except in GODs
will. Satan is the one who heaps guilt on us so that we can't have joy in our lives. I'm sure her mom felt that it was her fault for not taking her home when April went . Things happen and it is something we have to live with and except.

Well my older daughter's wedding is coming up the 10th of Oct here at the ranch and we are getting ready. Her son and his new wife (Oct 3 ,newlyweds)will be coming from Italy so Two happy things at once. I can't picture him married. He was such a good baby and a good kid growing up and I know he will be a good husband and dad some day. He's decided to make the Air Force his career and in todays economy that's the way to go. Don't know Sarah but if he loves her so will I.

Oh yeah back to Kathy's Wedding, It will be outside in Oct so it's a guess to see what the weather will be. But we've got that covered too. Her fella is a keeper. We all love him already. So that's a plus. well gotta go for now. Have a great day and remember GOD loves you.

2009-09-29T09:52:00.000-07:00

When I was 8 1/2 ,Mom met Harry and they decided to get married, it was a marriage of convenience cause she was tired of working and being poor. His family had money but that didn't mean he did. He owned a gas station in Algiers and we lived there for a few months then he left for Ohio where he got a job . So mom andi took a train from New Orleans to Cleveland Ohio. Lived in Mentor where I went to the 4th grade. I loved the fall there because of the colors and the crispness in the air. I walked about 6 blocks to school and then came home for lunch. Mom would make me a boloney sandwich and chicken noodle soup, which is still my favorite. Then I'd walk back to school. That was the first time I remember snow, and I loved it. We lived in an upstairs apt and the landlady lived downstairs with a door that opened at the bottom of the stairs. She had a habit of calling out" are you home? and then just walking up into our apt. Boy that made mom mad.
I had a friend down the next block named April Neubert, she had a brother Lee and a sister Claudia. Next to her house was an apple orchard where she and I would climb and eat apples for hours. Never got sick! It's funny how smells can bring all that back after all these years. Apples and autumn go together.

We lived not too far from Amish country and in the fall they would have apple butter festivals, and stir hot apple butter for hours and serve it to you on hot home made bread. Then later they had the maple syrup festival, You watched them tap the trees for the syrup and how it was processed and then they made candy. The Amish were wonderful people, so simple so easygoing. To bad we can't all have that attitude. Instead of every man for himself.

In the spring of that year we bought a house in Chesterland in a new subdivison. One acre with 3 bedroom no garage for & 17,500 That was my very first bedroom to myself and I loved it.
I went to West Geauga Jr High, there are my foundest memories. I was always happy at school because my home live was not always good. Harry and mom fought a lot and it got unbearable at times. When it was too bad I went to the woods across the street and sat on a log for awhile till I figured it was over. So school , my creek and my friends homes were my sanctuary in those years between 11-16.

Oh yeah I forgot to tell you about the time when I was 8 or 9 and mom and Harry sat me down and explained that he wanted to adopt me. I said "what does that mean? and mom said they would change my name to Harry's. Well that didn't set to well with me cause I thought they were going to call me "HARRY" and I told them I didn't want to change my name. It was years after that I told my mom and she got a laugh out of that one.
Oops I gotta go to town so I'll finish this up later. bye

2009-09-28T11:19:00.000-07:00

Gramma Sam and I use to go to an old cemetary in New Orleans. All of the graves were built up with concrete borders in case of flood which happened many times in the early days. I thought it was a neat place to play. I never knew who was there that she went to see but I'd climb all over the walls and keep my self occupied.

One night we went to a funeral in someones house, yes that's what they did back then. they had food and visit, and here this cofin with a body in it is sitting there. It was called a "wake". When we left it was dark and we were walking down the street. I had no Idea where we were but then gramma got dizzy and sat down on a step. I ran up and knocked on the door to get help and a woman opened the door and told me to get that drunk off of her steps and slammed the door. That is the last thing I remember, the next thing was helping gramma to lay down on the sofa we had in the long hallway of our house. Soon Mr Sam came in and found us and got her to the hospital. She was in a diabetic comma and stayed there a few days. So how did I get her home? I believe in angels and I know they helped me. I didn't know about them then but as I look back on things in my life They were always there watching over my mom and me.

Once mom had to work across the river in Algiers and had to ride the ferry in the middle of the night. No coat in the winter. Remember , we barely made it from payday to payday, and if it weren't for mom's tips we wouldn't have. One Christmas there was a small Christmas tree on the bar for tips for the two girls to split and mom came in one night and all the money was gone. she never did find out who took it. Anyway she was depending on that for my Christmas. She came home and told Mr Sam I wouldn't have a Christmas because of what happened. He in turn told all the people in the building. She came home Christmas Eve and in the hall by our door was a great big tree with presents under it. She said she sat right down and cried..Mr Sam didn't know anything about little girls and he bought me a rocket launcher thing that made alot of noise. (once at Easter he left a case of solid chocolate easter bunnies outside our door. They were so rich and sweet I think I ate a couple over a couple months and mom gave the rest away.

As I said before, Mr Sam use to take me to the catholic church and I was about 7 . One day there were some kids walking down the isle with white dresses and the boys were all decked out in white. Mr Sam told me to go with them and do what they did. Soooo, me in my little red cordary shirt and pink sweater joined them down front at the alter. You should have seen the look on the Priest face when he saw me. I can still remember it. Anyway he gave me the wafer and I went back to my seat. no one ever told me why I did that but of course I found out years later. The important thing is to know that showed how much Mr Sam loved me, He was concerned for my spiritual being. (He tried) Later!!!!

2009-09-27T11:39:00.001-07:00

Mr Sam and Gramma Sam were a GOD sent in my life. He was a short Italian pudgy guy always wore a white long sleeved shirt and a fordora hat. He had a laundry business in the front of the house and a small gas-station/deli somewhere . ( I was a little kid so I didn't know directions). We use to go crabbing on a pier he had and got bushel baskets full of crab that he would sell at his gas-station. Gramma Sam would sell snowballs (snow cones)out of the side of the building of the station. she made her own syrup. She stayed home alot and He did all the running. Sometimes he'd take me to the hugh Catholic church with him and I was awestruck by the beauty of the place. and the quiet. He took me but no one every told me about GOD or Jesus. I just knew it was a beautiful, peaceful place to go.

Mom worked nights and by the time I got home from school was gone and asleep when I left in the morning . So the only time I saw her was weekends and sometimes we'd get on the city bus and go to Ponchatrain beach for the day. On Saturdays when she had to work I'd go with her and sit in the back room of the bar/restaurant till noon and the porter that worked there would walk me around the corner to the movie house and drop me off for a few hours. great stuff.two movies and cartoons. Gramma Sam wouldn't let me watch cartoons at home cause they were too violent. Boy what would she thing now?

I got myself off to school every morning. I caught the city bus at the corner in front of the drugstore. One day my friend and I decided to take our bus fare and buy ice cream and walk home. On the way we stopped at the pet store and a couple other places. Needless to say it was a long time before I got home and when I did my mom was there cause gramma called her and told her I didn't get back from school . So she took off from work to come look for me. Ouch I remember that spanking! It's funny when your akid and you make a decison you really don't think of the consequences of your actions. Of course after having your own then you know what your parents went through. It not only scared her to death but cost her money for taking off of work.

That drug store on the corner was also where the doctors office was in the back of the store. And I'd come home from school and gramma Sam would say, your mom wants you to go get your shots. So I took myself off to get them by myself at 6 or 7 years old. This tells my age but I remember the soda fountain in the front of the drug store. Those were really neat, too bad they did away with them. ok more later.

2009-09-27T07:19:00.000-07:00

Good Morning, I have so enjoyed reading the blogs of my two aunts and my uncle on their lives growing up. It really gives you a different perspective on a person's life and what they've been through and what shaped them into the people they've become. our hardships are what makes the person that we become. So I think I'll write some stuff so that you will know where I came from.

I was born in 1950 to two people that were young and very much in love. mom was 17 and dad was 24. Mom was always very independent and very jeolous, Dad was very good looking and outgoing and mom didn't know how to deal with that so they had problems. By the time I was almost 5 they separated, more like mom moved out while dad was on the truck and when he came home we were gone. We lived in Valley Park Missouri . I didn't see him again till I was 17.

From there we went to my Aunt Ritas house in Grand Rapids Michigan, Mom started traveling and went to New York. I stayed with my aunt for a while. I remember going to kindergarten with her. My cousin Val was a baby and I got a doll buggy for christmas and put her in it and took her for a walk around the inside of the house. When I got tired I put her under the table and went to take a nap and aunt rita got shook up cause she looked all over the house for her till she found her. oops! I loved my aunt Rita , she was always there when I needed her.

I remember staying with my gramma Edith and Grampa Chance a couple of times, he was funny, and I loved him very much. He wore bibbed overalls and a ball-cap and was bald headed and had no teeth, But he would chew gum with me and eat corn on the cob. and make me laugh.
My aunt Gene was a kid and still lived at home and she played with me like I was her little doll.

I stayed with my Uncle Bob and aunt Nell a couple of times but that wasn't great cause they had a little girl Becky and a baby Kelly and I ususally got in trouble for things that Becky did.

Mom would come back once in a while but didn't stay long. Finally we went to New Orleans when I was 6 and she found a job and we stayed with my grampa Blackstock for a couple of weeks till she could find a place for us to live. That was at 2316 Dauphine street.

Sam Pernicia and his wife Daphine owned the building and rented out rooms but only to seniors. NO KIDS ALLOWED. But after a while they decided to rent us a room. We had the room down the long hall next to the stairs to grampas apt. The bathroom was at the end of the hall and everyone used it. Really spooky at night cause It had a 60 watt bulb and you couldn't see anything. Mr Sam and Gramma Sam as( I called them) lived at the far end of the building. Houses in New Orleans are narrow but long. This house was already 50 yrs old in the 50's.

Mom found a job as a bar tender and needed a babysitter . We went through a couple that weren't great. One I almost choked to death on a piece of bacon and the other one hit me with a belt and the belt buckle slipped out of her hand and hit me in the forehead leaving a welt. So after that Gramma Sam said she would take care of me. and she did for three years and i loved her and Mr Sam. Ok enough for now. I will add more later. Have a great day

2009-09-22T12:40:00.000-07:00

The neatest thing happened to me last January. When I was 6, 7 ,8 years old I lived in New Orleans and then moved away to Ohio and then at 16 moved back to New Orleans. We lived at 2316 Dauphine St and I have often wondered what happened to that old house, which is now over a hundred years old. It was a boarding house in the 50's and we had one room at the foot of the stairs with the bathrooom at the end of the hall for everyone to share.

Out of curiousity I put the address on the search and what a surprise to see the old house fixed up and turned into a Bed & Breakfast. I started sending notes back and forth the the fella who bought it and fixed it up. It was like walking back in time thinking about the place and made my memoires fresh. Except when he got it, it was leaning to one side and there was a big hole in the roof where the pidgeons made their nests. Thank GOD he saved it from falling. But anyway now my dream is to someday go spend the night there. SOMEDAY!!!!!!!

2009-09-20T20:05:00.000-07:00

Well today I sang my first solo at this church, and it was pretty good. I use to sing all the time years ago but I never got over that scared,( with the throat closing up) feeling and even though I enjoyed it I just was toooooo sacred.

But lately we have been talking alot about stepping out of our comfort zone and When GOD askes you do something, make that move and do it it. So today was the first step. wow, I survived it without hyperventalating or passing out. So now I'll probably do it again.

To know me I am loud and sometimes overly friendly, which is way different then when I was a kid and very quiet and hid in the corner of the room. I felt that anything that would come out of my mouth would be stupid and so I didn't say much. But Baby look at me now! There is no stopping me. I'm a talker, and a hugger, . One thing I love to do is go to the nursing home where my mother-in-law is and just walk down the halls and talk to the folks and give them hugs. They love it! You should try it, you'd love it. Giving of yourself is the greatest gift you can give.

Last time I wrote it was about my Aunt passing on, did I mention how mad I got about it? well I was for a couple of days and I told GOD so. but when I was having one of my fits HE told me in a soft voice, "BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD. well I had to think about that a while. and I realized that HE is in control of everything and knows the plans he has for us. I know my aunt will be ok but was worried about my uncle , but HIS plans also includes taking care of unc. and I had to let that go and let HIM do HIS things.

Gotta Go for now. Take care and GOD BLESS!!

2009-09-16T08:22:00.000-07:00

This is a difficult blog to write but I feel that I need to. Sept 14th I lost my aunt Donna. after being in the hospital in ICU for almost 5 weeks she was released from the body that tied her to pain and lots of equiptment, to a new body with a new freedon of soaring with angels. She was a wonderful person in this life and we will miss here beautiful smile and easygoing spirit.

I had a hard time excepting it but thought it through and I understand that as a Christian this is the ultimate reward for enduring this life. To be with GOD that loves us more then we will ever know.

I am singing a song at church this Sunday that says "I will not question the way HE leads", but I did and I heard HIM say" BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD." And so I have to hand HIM all my sorrow and Trust that everything is in HIS hands. And thank HIM for the privaledge of knowing this sweet lady. I love you Aunt Donna.

2009-09-14T07:23:00.000-07:00

Hi again,, well this morning I woke up to the sound of rain and it was awsome, then I realized my windows were partly down and I made a mad dash to put them up. Whew! no damage. I love rain, the sound is so relaxing and the smell of the dirt when it first gets wet. anyone that know Redding know that we don't get much rain especially in the summer so this was very welcome.

It's funny how some parts of the country get no rain or not enough and other parts get toooooo much. where ever you live there is something,, east coast and gulf has hurricanes, mid had tornados, and the west coast has earthquakes and fires. No matter where you live you have to just not have fear and know that GOD will take care of you. So no matter what your fear is you need to learn to "LET GO AND LET GOD" take control. And HE will see you through.

In my blogs I will be talking about GOD. He is an improtant part of my llife. ANd I like to share HIM with others. When I was 17 I lived in New Orleans and would walk through the French Quarter late at night by my self, (IN THE HIPPY DAYS). How dumb was that??? But when you'r young you aren't smart enough to think of those things. I also had a motorcycle accident Sept 9 1967 that should have killed me and would have if I hadn't had a helmet on. I did not know There was a GOD then and wasn't concerned about it. However after I found HIM and realized HE was there and watched over me even when I didn't know HIM ,I loved HIM even more.

Ok, enough said for now. Have a great day . until later.

2009-09-14T06:42:00.000-07:00

2009-09-12T08:26:00.000-07:00

Hi all, well we went to Sacramento yesterday and came home last night. Which is a real challenge since we are both night blind and go to bed by 9. But we made it safely. so that's good. Our daughter sings in a band with her soon to be husband and they do quite well. They just replaced three menmbers and actually sound better. Also we went for a celebration for our granddaughter.

She has ADHD and has had a rough last few years stress got too much she started drinking and she decided on her own that she didn't want to be that way. So she joined AA and was very faithful to her meetings and made friends with people that helped her through because they knew what she was going though. There is a scripture in the Bible that says "we go through things things so that we can help others." And that is true if you haven't been in the situation you can't really understand someone who is in it. One of the ditties I 've picked up along the way says,"Failure is success if you learn from it." So needless to say we are very proud of her for taking the right steps to work things out. By the way she is only 17 1/2 so I think that is very mature thinking to realize she needed to do something before it was going to mess up her whole life. To bad some adults can't get it. So that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Everyone have a great day till next time.

2009-09-11T06:44:00.000-07:00

Good Morning to all, Today is the 8th anniversary of 9/11 and it is on TV as a reminder so that we will do what we have to do to be sure it doesn't happen again. It's hard for me to understand how we were created by a GOD of love and yet there is so much hatred in the world . I remember the closeness we felt as a nation, flying our flag proudly and being united in a cause. where did that go? It's too bad it takes a tragedy to become one nation.

Before we leave this world we need to be able to look back and ask ourselves if we've done any good in the world . And if not there are many things we can do for others that will Bless someone. I save little ditties and one that I found said, "Smile at someone today it may be the only Sunshine the get". The golden rules says to treat others as you would have them treat you. I think that says it all. GOD BLESS you and GOD BLESS AMERICA!

2009-09-10T20:13:00.000-07:00

Hi well after everything is said and done I tried to get back to you. Thanks for helping me do this. we are going to Sac to hear the band and Kat wants us to stay the night and come back Saturday, except no one will be here for the dogs. and vern is such a homebody that he hates to sleep anywhere besides his own bed. So we'll see. Take care of yourself and get some rest. love ya. gail

Uncle James

2009-09-10T18:22:00.000-07:00

Hi Unc, how's things I'm thinking over this communcation

New Password...

2009-09-08T05:28:00.000-07:00

You have an e-mail on the way. Unc

It Worked!!!!!...

2008-06-09T12:06:00.000-07:00

Well, (I say that a lot) I guess it worked 'cause here I am! 'Yay!'

Later...

This is a Test To See If I Can Still Remember...

2008-06-09T10:27:00.000-07:00

This is a test! If this works out all right, it means I can still reckamember like a real people!

Later...