Such a good Christmas season. Sher stayed the week until last Saturday morning,then went to Mel's for the day and home. Such a good place to be - our homes, thankful. Christmas morning I was awake like a kid anticipating Santa - I had set my alarm but was awake by at least 5:30 and got up. So much of breakfast food has to be timed just right to come out done and hot all at the same time. I did a pretty good job, I think. The night before I had made monkey bread and sausage balls; Christmas morning I cooked the last of Powell's sausage, some bacon, scrambled Mike's hens' eggs, baked a ton of biscuits (still toasting them and eating with the strawberry jelly Sandra brought). Coffee, juice, fresh pineapple and cherries...
The little boxes I made were nice and everyone liked them, kind of special keepsakes, made from cards I think I mentioned above without going back to re-read. Cards to Mama and Daddy Nick when he was in the hospital in 1986-87. I was happy with my Clay and Wattles book and shared it with the family. Jenni enjoyed looking at some of Mama Nick's letters in the spiral bound book. I didn't even think to tell Billy I would share genealogy with him. Jenni had told me some time ago he was interested and I had said then she was welcome to any info I have on that side of the family.
Since the year is fast drawing to an end, just going to post some pictures to get in "this year's book." When I have it printed, I may have 2012-13 overlapping a little, but I like to have it tidied up.
By the way, the sinus bug didn't pass over me this year - I thought I had outsmarted him. But here I sit with watering eye and sinuses pounding. I got a shot of decadron today and antibiotic. I'm sure I'll need to eat lots and lots of yogurt...
THE BOOK
Sher made these pictures of my opening and seeing "my book" for the first time. It just overwhelmed me with so many memories, and the fact that I have stayed with this for 7 years, and this is my first hardbound book!
Cover of the book is my last day at Woodruff, walking through the back door!
So many memories, changes, over the last two years.
CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST
One of three tables I set for Christmas Breakfast - Mama Nick's china and one of her quilts on Mama's little card table that I covered with Aunt Ginny's leftover vinyl.
The small boxes I made for everyone - time-consuming - I made 15 for family - but so glad I did! Thanks, Jean, for your help!
The larger dining table, my old white china.
The Nativity on the mantle. This candle is beeswax so I could tolerate the light scent. I think. Maybe that's one reason my sinuses are acting up... Oh, well, it doesn't take much.
Our growing family - L-R - Aunt Ginny, Whitney, Marianna, Tommy, Carol, Jess, Jenni, Sandra, David, Paul, Amy, me with Oscar - did I say he was very good??), Matt, Billy.
All the tiny boxes (finished about 2" square; directions can be found on Youtube.)
Sisters Jess and Jenni... How many other Christmases have we had in this very living room...
Billy & Jenni Tucker.
Jess, Jenni, Whitney, Marianna, Amy. Beautiful cousins, all favor their beautiful grandmother.
Paul, David, Billy. The guys chose the smallest table!
Tommy; at the table - Sandra, Carol, Aunt Ginny. Standing - Whit, MRN, Jenni, Whit, Matt.
Amy and Tommy.
Wonderful sight - seeing all the family cars in Mama Nick's driveway. (I guess I am kind of a Mama Nick! Although, David is now Daddy Nick... I'm not sure what Sandra's grands call her... but she can be Mama Nick, too.)
Amy's big stocking for Matt. Lots of cute as well as useful gifts.
Amy got Paul a remote control truck! I told him he could "drive" it to his garage and up and down his driveway on that side of the house.
Amy was glad to get the whole set of "Six Feet Under" TV series.
Oscar had fun tearing up tissue paper - he doesn't get to do this often.
Matt had slept about an hour the night before driving to Iuka Christmas Day. Tuckered out.
After breakfast - this was a mix/match table - Amy's china (plates), Teri's Aunt Ruby's cups and saucers. All the Fostoria was Mama Nick's. (Tara had given me Teri's and I gave it back to her when we moved, except for a few serving pieces, which now I'm not sure if I've mixed in with MN's. At some point the generations mingle together - friends and family, memories and sweet times.)
Of course, the mortician requested two neat little books - All My Friends are Dead, and All My Friends Are Still Dead.
The blue star matched one inside one of the boxes. Whitney won the sparkly Santa ornament.
My "weave." I will not post my picture with it on my head! Instead I'll humilate my poor dog.
You'd think he was ten!
A big pretty box of different had lotions from Matt - AND a nice Amazon gift card!
We looked at the boxed writing desk Matt gave Amy - but we didn't get it out of the pretty blue 2011 Ford Explorer he was driving. She was happy!
Jenni looking at Clay and Wattles.
We were happy to share our home and everyone commented what a good job we had done to make the nice changes. In a way I thought it might be difficult for some of the family and I know this house holds lots of memories. I hope we have enhanced them and can carry them on for a long time.
This was really my favorite table with the old chair, the quilt, the sun and the shadow...
Matt's a good storyteller.
Lamp shadow with the X or cross right in the middle - I couldn't have planned it.
AUNT VELMA
We did have very sad news on Christmas Day - Aunt Velma Broughton died. Christmas Eve, her daughter Glenda (Paul's cousin) and husband had to rush her to the hospital here as she was running a very high temperature. Just a few days before doctors in Memphis had determined that Velma had leukemia. She had received several units of blood and platelets over the last few weeks and was very weak. Just as everyone was getting ready to leave after breakfast, Paul got a call from his cousin Sammy that Velma had died around 9:30 that morning. She had been transported to Memphis/Southaven (Baptist/Desoto) Christmas Eve and died there early Christmas Day. Velma had just recovered this summer from knee surgery and therapy and then began to have a lot of trouble with shortness of breath and weakness. She was an elegant, sweet lady, Aunt Ginny's best friend. She died on Mother Ruth's birthday and Mother Ruth and Daddy Lee's anniversary. Her funeral was Thursday, the 27th. A tribute to her mother, Glenda was in church Sunday after the funeral at the piano - her mother would have wanted her to be. This is an old picture that I remembered having of her and it's in the Christmas album I always have out... Tara, her youngest granddaughter, is the tot she is looking at with such wonder. This was another Christmas Breakfast when all the family would gather, and this was at Mama Nick's house, now ours...
BOOK CLUB, DECEMBER 14
Our book club group at the Iuka Library. Sorry that Jo wasn't in the picture - she was running a bit late. Our librarian (classmate) in front left, black and white top, is retiring January 23 after 33 years of service.
SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS SUPPER, DECEMBER 17
My ladies'Sunday School class (and husbands) party at Homestead - L-R - Wanda Evans, Hosea Thorne (my cousin, father's side) and his wife Peggy.
L-R - Mike Morgan (Brenda had committed to baby sitting), Jackie & Pete Walker; Nancy Brinkley (her mother Willard Hamm Robinson & my grandmother Flora Watkins Joslin were first cousins - mother's side); Wanda Evans; Hosea, Peggy; Becky Murphy (can't see her & sorry about that) and husband Frankie' Linda Hester; Caffie Enlow (married a classmate of mine); Ben Kitchens (family doctor), Joy, his wife; Paul, me; Charlotte Vines, Kay and Eddie Woodruff, James and Dorsey Parker (she's our teacher). Sher made the picture.
Peggy Brown, Paul, me. Sher remembered her from school.
Paul had to show Ben his "Pride and Joy!"
Nancy is practically a clone of her mom Miss Willard, who was an angel in my life - in all ways - mannerisms, sense of humor, voice, sweetness, godliness.
Sher, Charlotte, Kay, Eddie, James, Dorsey.
Linda, Caffie.
Everyone received a bottle of MS State Muscadine Grape juice. Yes, of course - juice at a SS party! ha Could I look any sillier?
Hosea won the MS State block of cheese and I won a bag of pecan halves! We played the "Right/Left" game.
GAMES
Amy and I played a couple of games, about two rounds, before we konked out. Boggle and Mad Gab - old games that were here or we brought. Another set of things that have started melding together. The one I'm holding is (Mad Gab) "Midnight Train to Georgia." She had the hardest time with it - the one holding the cards can hear the other person saying the picture clues (on the other side) together and it sounds just like the phrase, but the guesser just can't hear it yet!
Happy New Year, everyone, in case I don't get back here till 2013! At which time I hope milk is not $8.00 a gallon and we have not fallen over the cliff...
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