Wednesday, April 06, 2011

WHOSE WOODS THESE ARE I THINK I KNOW

Paul and I spent a few days in Iuka at the "other" house, he doing mostly yard work, which he loves. By the time we left, he had the front yard looking like a small park.  There are over a dozen dogwoods in close proximity to the house and they were glowing in the sun by the time we left.  There was a very rainy day, a couple of coolish ones, but I suppose we needed those for down time.  As for my part, I cleaned Mama Nick's china cabinet and washed some walls and windows, labeled the fuse box, vacuumed, and laid out all the quilts flat on a spare bed, with sheets between each one.  I also spent a little time on my knees trying to dye bleach spots on some dark green carpet in a bedroom.  What was I thinking?  The sponge dripped and I didn't know it. Someday the carpet will be replaced, but it did look pretty bad so I got some Rit dye and dabbed it on.  It looks better...

At brother Mike's: Mike, me, Paul, Andy (Steve #2), Erica, Benjamin, Kiley in front. Kiley was four on March 28.


Posing in front of the beautiful azalea that is in front of Mama, now Benjamin's, house.


Kiley and Aunt Marsha playing with a porcelain doll that was Morgan's.


Bears from cousin Amy.


Papa Belk! How strange it seems that my youngest brother is a grandpa!! I think Kiley favors my little girl pictures. She also looks like Morgan and Mama. Something about us...

 

The "Low Garden" with dogwoods. There are at least 15 dogwoods in full bloom in close proximity to the Iuka house. The two acres is cleared out of several that are wooded on all but the road frontage. We did set out the hostas. They're barely visible on the lower right. (When I got home I discovered yellow tulips in the flower bed next to the garage! What a surprise! I don't recall planting tulip bulbs!)


Paul mowing in front of the house. He practically drove the mower off the trailer out into the yard and didn't stop till it was done!


We went to see Mama Nick several times. A very sad thing happened while we were there - the owner of Carrington House - Ann Cummings, age 52 - died suddenly at her home following some surgery she'd had just last week.  Her funeral was today.  I unintentionally broke the news to Mama Nick; I thought she already knew it.  Of course, she was quite upset but I stayed until I knew she was alright and she seemed fine when I left.  I had only met Ann once, and had met her sister.  Ann was building a new home and was living in a travel trailer I believe at the site until her home was finished.  I felt so sorry for everyone at Carrington - residents and staff as well, for they are all family.

We saw Tommy for a while Friday evening; Carol, Whitney and Marianna had gotten home from Gatlinburg the day before and they already had plans for Friday evening. David has been working long hours - he's a CPA and this is always a busy time for him.  I got to see Sandra when I went by the office on an errand. I called Edwina to see how she is and said she was much better. She'd had a good check-up in Memphis a couple of weeks ago and finally got the results back.  Olen had been sick but was better.

Brenda and I went to Booneville yesterday afternoon - she took off the rest of the week, and sorely needed the rest.  Between Paden and Booneville there is a quilt shop that an older gentleman (Claude Wilemon) owns and operates - it is fantastic. (Susan, if you're ever up that way NE Mississippi, it would be worth looking up!) There are rooms and rooms of quilts and fabrics - not a fancy store, but this man's home which he's converted into an old-timey showcase of fabulous quilts. He cuts the kits and others piece and quilt them. Maybe I can get the pictures of some of them off my phone and show some later. He also has several collections of old depression glass, and specially made headboards of various woods he has had made to show his quilts.  They are show flat or on the walls. 

On to Booneville and the nearer we got, the more familiar the road looked - after all we traveled that road on a schoolbus to Northeast Mississippi Community College (then Junior College) for two years! Sometimes we'd go in my little green Corvair if we missed the bus. We went to a discount store and I can't for the life of me think of the name, but I got five brown/aqua decorative cushions for $24 (including a Senior's Discount!).  She bought several tiles for herself and for Harry Bowman, whose beautiful garden we walked through last summer.  He uses broken crockery, tiles, etc. for decoration and points of interest.  After our shopping spree, we stopped at Sonic and ate corndogs, cheese sticks and Picolos (fried pickles), cherry Sprite and Diet Coke. Solved all our and all the world's problems. Again.

Paul and I tidied up this morning and left Iuka around 10:00, got home at 2:00.  Oscar threw up in the truck, on his doggie shaggy mat. Only the second time he's ever done that traveling. He didn't eat breakfast and I had given him a couple of doggie treats.  Just too much...  Got home, unloaded, went through the mail and took a nap.  Now I'm gonna watch Parenthood, hopefully it recorded. Then bed and tomorrow to Jonesboro - regular eye check-up and ENT appointment.  Wouldn't you know? The dizziness is better. I hate to cancel, though. As sure as I did I'd be dizzy on the way home...  I had started doing my vestibular exercises, but got in the cold wind and sinuses hurt...  Sometimes I feel as if I live in a bubble. Or maybe, as some would say, I just have to count out my spoons for the day...

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