DRAW A NAME

Monday at WMU (or WOM - Women on Mission as Women's Missionary Union is now known), we drew names for a mission outreach for this month. I know God put Frank Elizabeth's name in my hand. I had had her on my mind for a long time. Her son Tommy was one of Paul's classmates and I kept telling him he should go see him and her. Perfect opportunity for both of us. Today we went and took a loaf of bread (bread machine, but homemade nevertheless) and some of Matt's ham he brought Christmas (has been frozen and is delicious; we had some for supper last night). What a wonderful visit! Paul and Tommy caught up on a few years - just a few - so many have passed; I had a chance to visit with Mrs. D and Tommy. Tommy, Brenda, Nena P and I have been Facebooking about old families and family homes - namely the Woodley Home - for several days. I told Tommy that the history of Iuka interests me more than ever, of course, since we've moved back here. With all the graciousness of a 93 year-old Southern lady, Mrs. D told me to be sure to come back. She remembered Paul and I have met her one time, and still the grace and charm, the care for a guest's comfort was upper most in her mind. I hope to go back and visit. She is another treasure, so many of whom are going home to be with the Lord, and we must remember to anchor onto Him, and to keep Southern manners going! I know I enjoyed the visit and was blessed more than I could have thought when I drew her name.

Paul and I had eaten at the brand new McDonald's here for lunch and met two ladies who, of course, knew or were related to people we knew, namely Brenda and her brother John, and one each of my and Paul's classmates. (That's the "point" in one's life - the "class." The Class is the face of our clock, the starting and ending of a whole era that we always come back to.) Mike had tried to call me, went to voice mail, so he called Paul and met us there as we were leaving. He was delivering to me a cake carrier that Amy had asked Morgan to personalize for me. Morgan has a little cottage industry and uses her Cricut to personalize just about anything you need or want. She's also begun sewing. (It is Mo's Creations on Facebook.) What a sweet surprise from Amy - and with instructions for the colors to be maroon and white!

Other Things:

I returned an electric blanket I ordered - it had two 3-prong plugs and our outlets don't have the capacity for all that, not to mention the cords should not be run between the mattresses, but on the floor - where Lucy can find them and sure 'nuf electrocute herself. It did have dual controls and was plush, not fleece, very nice... but just too, too much. UPS picked up the box today. Amazon makes returns so easy! So I still have a $25 gift card/credit from Amy for Christmas... I did find an old e-blanket and the cord/control (not dual) to just warm the bed before getting in. These achey bones delight in being warmed immediately on going to bed! I don't sleep with the blanket on, though. Just toasting the sheets is enough.

Book club is Thursday and we'll be discussing The Crucible by Arthur Miller. I watched the movie and it helped with continuity. I couldn't get into the play - so many characters and I didn't read continously, so I would lose some train of thought or forget someone's role. Our next book is The Hiding Place, Corrie ten Boom, which I've read years and years ago, but which deeply touched me; I think I've read all her books. Also Thursday is my first "real" GFWC-MFWC (20th Century Club) meeting. We will meet in the old drug store building downtown (I remember the soda fountain and tables and chairs!), but there is something else there now - a member called it Cathy's, but not sure what it is - a beauty shop maybe? Friday the club is serving birthday cake to residents of Tishomingo Living Center; I volunteered to make one. If they need a layer cake (or stack cake) I can use my new carrier.


It's been rainy and very foggy here since Saturday - when I drove to town to see the movie at church, I had to creep along The Lane and Harmony Road, also in town. IBC showed (with rights) "Courageous." Mike came and went with me; Marsha got sick at the last minute. We enjoyed it - was very good with a challenge not only to men but to families. I also got to see another cousin - Uncle Spencer's (Slip's) son Wayne.


Sunday we had a women's ministry dessert fellowship at church - tons of non-caloric, terrible things we forced ourselves to eat! I had made brownies and added chopped cherries, so they were a little moist. Charlotte made a gluten-free chocolate cake, which was delicious - baking can be done without wheat flour. She's allergic to wheat. We filled out surveys about our interests, participation, talents, where we'd best serve or want to be used. The younger ladies are organizing this, wanting all ages to get to know one another better.


Lucy is in my lap in a weirdly contrived posture - her neck is turned all the way back over her body, like a duck would sleep. As long as she's in my lap with I'm clicking away, she's happy. And she's warm on my lap.


Since we ate Angus burgers for lunch, I expect supper will be lighter. Mine will anyway. Paul has gone to a MS State alumni meeting at Homestead. Don't know whether he'll eat or not. Oscar has been fed. He knows the words supper and breakfast (as well as many others, some he chooses to ignore; I guess dogs can have selective hearing, too). Anything involving food, he's on it.

Saturday walk, before the fog:

The back yard has hundreds of these...

Bird's nest...

Worn board on old bird house...

The darkening woods...

Some kind of scales or fungus...

Tommy, Paul's brother, came and watched the Alabama/LSU game last night and I actually watched 99% of it. Expecting a tough battle, it was a little let-down, but still glad Alabama won, they being our near neighbor. Mike was happy, too.

Tommy brought me one of Carol's, his wife, CDs she had made. She'd always wanted to do one and finally did - at a studio in Muscle Shoals. I listened to it in "Amy's Room" while Paul and Tommy watched the start of the game. It is incredible! I just lay back on the bed and thanked God for such a sweet voice and His blessings, looking at the pattern in the "pink" room wallpaper and thinking about all this house has seen, all this family has seen, all the years... She has a wonderful voice with so much range and depth. Greg W accompanied her on piano, the only instrument; and on one song by voice. She accompanied herself (voice/mix) on one song - and I know just enough to say harmonized, though that's probably not right, and just shows my ignorance of music. But it was pretty. In fact, I asked for a half a dozen more copies to give to Amy, Sher and some others. Paul and I listened to it in the truck going to and from town today. One of the songs, not a gospel or worship song, was "Danny Boy," and I thought of my cousin Danny. JoAnn said that was "his" song. Danny passed away not long ago and it was especially moving.

So now off to find something... a bowl of cereal probably.

WEARING PJs - A LOT

I decided to get dressed early today since a couple of neighbors have caught me in pjs in the afternoon. In my defense, one lady is still working and the other is our aunt who "ran to town" on an errand and stopped by on her way home. Christmas night I just crashed and slept till mid-morning the next day. That day I did nothing and another good reason is that it rained all day long. Yesterday I took all the Christmas things down, carefully wrapped and packed all the ornaments, threw away the holly; Paul took the tree apart and all is back in the attic now.

Today is my youngest brother's birthday so I made him brownies to take to him this afternoon. Right now I should be - should be... those terrible words - washing sheets. It is sunny and I love sheets hung on the line. But wait... the line is down because they dug the trench under it for our field line. So no frozen fingers... I did wash the sheets. In a prior life I would have had to have that bed made back up, but there is tomorrow. I'm calling myself Scarlett again.

We did have a wonderful Christmas: Christmas Eve (pizza!) at Mike and Marsha's; breakfast at David and Sandra's. (Amy was so sick, though, and barely made it through, but by Christmas night was much better). We had dinner/supper at our house - chicken spaghetti, fresh green beans, corn pudding, desserts. Carol brought a big pot of chili. I was amazed how rested they seemed after their flight home from Hawaii just Christmas Eve! But then they are a good bit younger than we are... and slept fourteen hours.  I have to brag on Oscar. He begged me to let him off the leash and he was good as gold with all the people around. Of course, no one looked at him directly or petted him, and he was happy to just be part of the crowd.  Christmas evening Paul, Amy, Matt and I opened gifts before they went back to Memphis.

Highlights:

My help making a stocking for Amy.



All moving parts ready to go... and sew...



Forty-plus sayings when you mash this paw or that ear.

I know Morgan and Steven will love it. Tyler did!

Amy's "nap mat" from kindergarten that I used for a tree skirt.

Spinach/cheese pastry roll, before baking.

Tyler with Great Uncle Paul

Grandmommy and Granddaddy (brother Mike and sis-in-law Marsha) with Tyler.

Mama's picture behind Marsha.

Lapful of furry friends.

Matt with Marianna and Whitney, Christmas Breakfast, David & Sandra's.

Carol comforts Amy in the big easy chair. Maybe Carol was still a little sleepy...

Our house for afternoon Christmas dinner; Tommy, Paul, Aunt Ginny, Matt.

My old white china I've not used in years; Harmony House.

Christmas evening before Amy and Matt went back to Memphis.

He loved the housecoat Amy gave him. I'm wondering now if he took it off when they left...

Gift card. Paul took this and another he'd had "a couple of years" to Lowe's and bought a small chain saw for brush work.

Oscar was so good. And so tired.

These will go on the tree next year!

Sandra made each family an ornament.

Amy loved her bedside table.

She practically slept with her laptop in her bed, so maybe this will help.

Wonderful time with families. Thank You, Lord, for keeping us all safe and well. Thank You for Your Son Jesus, who makes Christmas what it is; help us keep it as it should be. 

Thanks to everyone for all the cards and family pictures!

Happy New Year, in case I don't show up here again till next year!

FOUR THORNES

I had lunch today with three cousins and three friends who might as well be related; in some way, we all are relatives. Salinda (from Memphis) and her family are spending some time at her dad's house (now her and Richard's) in Paden, which is about 20 miles from here. They needed groceries so came to Iuka today and we met at Homestead for lunch. Around the table left to right: me, Sherry (my cousin Salinda's niece, her sister's daughter-in-law), Salinda, Patsy, Brenda, Charlotte (Brenda married Charlotte's first cousin Jim), Edwina.  Just made a party out of it! Great being together!

On the moving/working front this week: our new A/C-heating system was installed and has made a huge difference. Two new vents were added: one in the kitchen, one in the utility room. The back door was installed Tuesday, or was it Wednesday. The weeks and days are just flying by.

When they were working on the heat pump replacement, we used the two window units we have used before and which Amy had used. That's when this cold started. Some is allergies I know because of the dust I'm not able to reach yet! I dusted and vacuumed as far as I could reach today, and I've used Flonase and taken allergy medicine. I have one more thing to use and I really don't want to - the strong cough capsules. It's only when I lie down that I cough much.

Charlotte invited me and Paul to eat with her tonight, so we're going to her house to eat. Brenda said she and Jim would be there. Charlotte's dad Clay and Jim's dad Noel are brothers. Noel passed away several years ago. Mr. Clay is 88 - Bren said the longest living Whitfield male ever, she thought. I've seen Miss Earline at church when we went for Aunt Ginny's birthday a few weeks ago. We used to spend some time at their house when Bren, Charlotte, Martha and I ran around together.

Amy and Matt are coming tomorrow for the weekend. I'm putting a roast on tonight in the Crock Pot; plan to go to the grocery store in the morning for other things. It was just too hot this afternoon. We had a 5-minute downpour yesterday afternoon; just didn't last long enough nor cool things off much. We just haven't had much rain here, sort of like last summer. Leaves are already falling off trees. I looked at the allergy/pollen index for today and it was 10.3 out of 12.

YOUNG AT HEART

A lot has happened since I wrote last.

Sunday morning Paul and I moved our church membershp from Wynne to Iuka Baptist. What a great feeling to look around the congregation and see so many familiar faces - Nancy B and I connected immediately and just beamed at each other. (Her mother and my grandmother were first cousins. If I said that before, well, there it is again... Just a sign of age or exuberance...) The last time Paul and I stood at that altar, we were getting married! We're having such a good time! In the evening service a quartet sang (Unity 4), Southern gospel, and there was ice cream and dessert afterward. Bren and her husband Jim came and we sat together, arm to arm, reading each other's thoughts at certain songs, holding so many memories together. She was my maid of honor at mine and Paul's wedding, too, so she was there at that altar.

Yesterday, we both worked pretty hard - the three huge end tables we and Mama Nick had had for 40 years went out. I'm looking for a coffee table and couple of end tables; have already chosen one online for near one window in the living room. Paul hauled the old tables to Goodwill in Corinth.

Some of this is excerpted from email to Bren tonight:


Busy, busy day today (Tuesday). Took Oscar to Nunley's Animal's Choice Veterinary Clinic - very impressed - I'm sure I've been by there, just never took notice - so neat, pretty. Nice staff, O looked great. Went by WM, got containers, yet again; was gonna get Aunt Ginny's bday pix done but machine broken. Went by PO but closed (open @ 9); then home, baked dessert for Young at Heart - went there for lunch, program; really good time - Tab (Paul's cousin's wife) and Bobbie Counce sang - some hymns, some old - like King of the Road! Linda Hester was there - we sat with her - she told about book club at library; will try to go next time; Jo Russell told me about WMU; she and her husband Tucker lived in LR early 60's. WMU meets one hour - no potluck. so that's 3 things I've already got going. Registered to vote. Went by Iuka Discount Furniture - saw Johnny S - looked at coffee table, end tables. Home, and Sandra came out, showed me quilt pieces she'd put together; got out all pix of Nichols family I knew of and sent home with her - David wants her to scan them, be easy to store on disks, easy to copy; I said, good, you can make me a copy if you will! He's all excited about the family pic I found - and it's Daddy Nick's mother's side of the family - Burns - not Nichols. He'd seen it before; Googled an aunt's name and found all the names! But their cousin Nan (all into genealogy) said she'd send a key, too. Talked to Edwina; will go next week and help her with scanning pix.  Sher called; usually does when gets off work, we talk till she gets her walk done or gets home. Paul and I ate light supper - cheese/crackers/apple crumble I made.

Got all pic albums put away - at least all in same room; no one place big enough for all of them; that was a job. Not in date order, but at least they're put away. I know I keep thinking somewhat like I did at work - I always tried to have that day's work finished before I would go home, and that's not like that with moving. It is still there.


Sher reminded me of saying on phone book several yrs ago - probably 20 - "Mississippi - It's Like Coming Home!" and it is!!


And for the first time in my life today someone told me I - I! - was outgoing!!!  She said, you and your husband are both outgoing... what a praise to God! If not for Him!! A lot of the deeply buried/forgotten memories of life in this little town are coming back to me when I talk to folks. It's like a flower opening up to the sun; I know that maybe sounds trite, but it's the way I feel - coming home. I've always loved the verse about God putting the solitary in families. He did it when we moved to Wynne - what a wonderful family of friends there; and He's done it again, bringing us back to family here. Maybe this is the "honeymoon" of the move; maybe the new will wear off. I hope not. I hope I never cease to be surprised at being warmed by the love of these people and the "feel" of this place.

Thank you, God, for your grace - I look back especially two years ago when I was still at work, and You literally "hung in there with me!" Amazing grace! Thank You for these happy, relaxing times with Paul, family and friends. 

HEARTBEAT OF HOME

In church this morning I heard the Southern Railroad train blowing at the crossings a couple of blocks away. In seconds, the floor of the church began to pulse in a steady thrum. At first I couldn't think what it could be, not associating the sound and the movement right away  - an earthquake? No one seemed alarmed at all.  Then I realized - it was the train clicking its way down the track, shaking the ground all the way up the street to church.

Paul's cousin and her husband, Glenda and Emory Jones, met us in the foyer of the church and we went to our Sunday School classes this morning. Immediately I felt at home - there was Glenda, Charlotte Vines came in - my old friend from high school days, although she graduated from Burnsville; Nancy Brinkley - the daughtor of my teen years mentor, Willard and Herbert Robinson. She looks and sounds just like her mother - I thought I would cry, and felt like that teenager way back when, as soon as she prayed later in the class. Willard's voice! Time just turned back! And there was Peggy Thorne - I asked her which Thorne? Hosea! My cousin! He looked me up later in the sanctuary; we didn't get to talk much today, but I want to visit with him some more. Some years ago we exchanged Christmas cards and then just gradually lost touch.

I don't know if everyone has these kinds of feelings when they move "back home." Gratitude, welcomed, gathered in, like a sigh, arms of a whole community and every connected cousin and cousin-in-law you can imagine, not to mention brothers and their families, just open wide for you. You know they're as glad to see you as you are to see them. In a community this size (about 2900) it would be very easy to know just about everyone if you've lived here all your life, which we, of course, have not. But no longer than we did, the roots are here and we can feel them pushing further down into the rich soil of the families. I'm thankful for Brenda telling me histories, connections. For 40+ years I've heard about the people, now I'm finally getting to know the people. How many emails have we exchanged over the years with her telling me about this one and that one; or reading obituaries in the paper we continued to receive... Or birth and wedding announcements, decades passing and the children of our classmates recognizable, then their grandchildren only if we read the lineage, the grandparents' names, sometimes the surname making them recognizable.

I will hear Paul talking to men at church who are welcoming us - "You don't know who I am, do you?" (He recognizes many of them.) And they are surprised when he tells them; they grin and shake his hand and I know they have flashbacks to the younger days, just like we do.

Yesterday one of our "near" neighbors, about 3 miles away, brought a cake to us. Her husband Earl (who graduated with Paul) had invited Paul to his class a couple of weeks ago and that's where he went today; and Emory is in Earl's class, too. The cake is delicious lemon. I took Mama Nick some today for lunch when we stopped by to see her after church. Paul's brother David came by also and we got to visit with him.

I'm going backward here through the last few days... Friday night Paul and I ate with my brother Mike and his wife Marsha. She was kinda tired from babysitting - they'd had Tyler overnight while Morgan and Steven had a date night. Not being used to nocturnal squeaks and grunts from a baby, she didn't sleep very well and was up quite a bit. But it was good for Morgan and Steven to go out, though she did call the grandparents a couple of times to check in.  And of course Marsha loved it - I don't think Mike got up with him, though! This time...

So it goes - many boxes still to unpack, but beginning to look like home. The TV stand Paul and I put together Thursday night just about got me; I finally had to just quit and go to bed. I said never again will I assemble a piece of furniture. But already I've looked at end tables for the living room. I think we'll first look at the furniture store here for something. He finished the cabinet and made adjustments to the drawer Friday morning; meanwhile I nursed my aching back from being down in the floor, holding cabinet parts and such, like I was 36 and not 63!

Every chance she gets, Lucy comes to help me check email, Facebook and write here.



No, Lucy, I didn't ask for a binder clip! You're gonna get your head stuck!

(She didn't. And the binder clip she pawed out is, of course, on the floor.)

FOUR DAYS

Another birthday recognition I need to make: my wonderful friend Becky with whom I worked over twenty years - on August 12! Happy Birthday, Beck!

I've hardly slowed down since Friday.

I began Saturday's dinner by putting a roast on Friday night; Amy got here around 1:30 Saturday and I had everything ready to eat. Mike, Marsha, Morgan, Steven and little Tyler came and Amy got to see Tyler for the first time. Oh, he's growing so! Everyone enjoyed the veggies I got at Bren's Thursday night, especially Amy, who doesn't get "home-cooking" that often! I was glad I'd made my Snickers cupcakes for Aunt Ginny's party on Friday afternoon. Time just got away and we were busy with other things. (It's nice to have that extra fridge; I think I said that. But it sure is handy. Probably not energy efficient, but the point is... it's handy.)

Amy went to visit Mama Nick in the afternoon. Saturday evening we went through boxes and Amy got extras of cleaning supplies and things she could use. Made me feel much better - something she could use, plus freed up some space. (I must stop watching HGTV because those people on there have nothing but tables, cushions and lamps. There are no keepsakes and goofy things sitting around wondering where to go - and I don't mean people!)

Sunday morning we went to Harmony Methodist Church for Aunt Ginny's 90th birthday recognition - there were flowers from nieces and nephews, announcement from the pulpit and in the bulletin. She looked wonderful as always and at her post - handing out bulletins at the front door. Paul, Amy and I; David, Jenni and Jess were there. After church we went by to see Mama Nick and she seemed very pleased to have three of her granddaughters as well as the rest of us there.

At two we went to David and Sandra's and all the Broughton family was there with only two exceptions. Of course, we were sorry Mama Nick couldn't be there, but there were 25 present plus Sandra's daughters and granddaughter! Wonderful time! Aunt Ginny made a little "speech" and said how much she enjoyed it, and that it was the first time since we would go to Mother Ruth and Daddy Lee's (her and Mama Nick's parents) for Christmas that we'd all been together. From Paul, David, Tommy, Glenda and Sammy there was a whole generation of girls, now Tara and Lynn have three little boys under age six! Talk about energy! I shared on Facebook the Kodak link. At right is Jo, seated; standing left to right: Jessica, Jennifer, Aunt Ginny, Amy, Whitney, Marianna, Lynn and Tara. Sister-pairs are beside one another, except Amy and Jo who are "onlies." These are Aunt Ginny's great nieces. Another thing on my to do list: Get Aunt Ginny some prints - she doesn't have a computer. We took a little red rocking chair to David's that we found in the attic; Sandra said Jenni remembered it as hers, or sitting in it at Mama Nick's when MN babysat her. Tommy saw it and said, "Daddy Lee made that for me and I drilled a hole in the arm!" We wondered where the hole had come from. I said they'd just have to share the chair. It stayed at David's. It's been through at least two generations. Paul didn't think it was homemade, but we thought maybe broom handles had been used for the back posts.

Nieces Sandra, Tab, Glenda, Pat, Carol. Glenda is Aunt Ginny's brother's daughter. The rest of us are nieces-in-law, but we know she's our own aunt anyway.

Nephews: Emory, Glenda's husband; Sammy, Glenda's brother; Tommy (Carol), Paul (moi), and David (Sandra), all brothers.





Aunt Ginny with the youngest - Caleb, standing/left, Cohen, behind Aunt Ginny (brothers; Tara's); Corey (Lynn's).

Heath (Tara) and Brandon (Lynn).





Aunt Velma with Aunt Ginny - sisters-in-law. Velma is Glenda and Sammy's mother.

Sandra could hardly wait to see the butterfly squares.

Yesterday Paul went to Wynne to close our lock boxes, and also retrieve my Social Security card which was in one of them. It is something I had to have to get my Mississippi driver's license. (If I repeat, I'm so sorry - I've emailed some of this to other friends...) It rained here in the afternoon and I got quite a lot unpacked. But all I've accomplished is getting the boxes out of the house. It's still so cluttered. I look back at some pictures I made of Wynne house and wonder why??? It just accumulates! I hope I don't want to put all those things back out. I just can't. I have set some "keepsakes" around, and wonder what I'll do with the rest of them. Probably pack them back up, put them in the attic and let someone else find them in another generation, just as we have (some of Mother Ruth's things - pictures, possibly a sewing basket or two, glassware; nothing very valuable except for sentimental reasons.) The greatest finds were quilts - two were quilted onto 100 pound fertilizer sacks, pretty heavy, rough fabric, but nothing was wasted - these were probably at least eighty years old. Two were salvageable; the others had to be thrown away, they were so old. There was one quilt top and another stack of 26 squares (appliqued butterflies) that I gave Sandra because I knew she'd get them pieced and/or quilted.  So he went to Wynne, I stayed here and putzed.

Today we went to Tupelo to get our driver's licenses. Tupelo because... he had a CDL and Corinth could not issue a regular license if one had a CDL, even though he didn't want another CDL... Anyway, we did have what we needed, didn't have to wait terribly long and got decent enough pictures made. If the license plates didn't make it official, the DLs did! We ate at Wendy's (chicken salads - those are really good), and then went to Lowe's to get prices on appliances - stove, refrigerator and dishwasher. Next stop - Sears - comparative shopping. So far Lowe's has Sears beat, but we'll see what this weekend's "special" offers. I've debated stainless steel or white and think I'm going with white: the age and style of the house; I'm afraid stainless steel will show fingerprints and scratches too badly; less expensive.

We had FEMA paperwork to complete once we got home - in quadruplicate - information to look up in the house file. Got that done and ready to mail tomorrow. I asked Paul what tomorrow's project is: "Putting up those other light fixtures."

Tomorrow is Edwina's birthday. Bren had cataract surgery today. I need to take Mama Nick's mail to her. I haven't talked to Aunt Ginny today. Oscar needs a bath. One wants a changing and thank goodness one is NOT on the way...

Since I saw this cartoon, I've thought it hilarious. Used to think it only applied to work, but no...

LESSONS IN GIVING UP PACKRATTERY

This is big birthday month - yesterday Sherron's, today Tommy's (Paul's brother), Sunday is Neall's, Tuesday Aunt Ginny's, Nate's on the 17th, Richard's on the 17th; Bren has lots of family birthdays this month. Happy birthday everyone!

I seem to recall friends telling me that I would get everything unpacked and put away; it just takes time. And I've heard stories of people who have moved who never got everything unpacked. I'm beginning to think we fall into the latter category.

Oh, we have made huge progress and found many treasures (everyday glassware, some pictures, blue canning jars, quilt tops and pieces), and I lovingly and carefully wash the glasses or little saucers (as Brenda would say, feel it and ooh over it :) ), and put them on the counter - which really is quite small, actually. And then I get into a project like today's, baking cupcakes (Snickers!), and everything  is in the way. And into the Goodwill box it goes.  Five little juice glasses, two pairs, one odd; plastic containers (Take Alongs). No more plastic food containers, please! It took us three mornings to get the attic cleaned out and then I labeled all the plastic bins of Amy's dolls, doll clothes, high school stuff, some of my stuff and stacked it neatly up there. As I may have said, plastic bags will turn to ash over time. Maybe the plastic bins will last longer... This is only one little load of what came out of our now attic. And I'm just saying again - if you have space, you will use it. How do people feel who have no stuff sitting around? I mean, they probably have a life, don't they?  A well preserved quilt top - in a plastic bag which disintegrated when I took the fabric out; Sandra will get it quilted and it'll be a beautiful keepsake. Paul's grandmother probably pieced this. Seems every generation has things unfinished, and that another generation will enjoy.

Simplicity - a bowl Paul made in school, found after ages in the attic.

Ah, but just outside the door are photo ops such as these:

 

*****

My new Mississippi tag is TSU 684. It's official. Paul got all four of our vehicles' tags at once, 682, 683, 684. The antique truck tag will be mailed (permanent like in AR). Now if getting driver's license were so simple. We have to have our Social Security cards, and guess where mine is? In a lockbox in Wynne! Why we didn't empty our lockboxes I do not know. Guess it didn't seem pressing, didn't know we'd need anything, could go back on a visit and get that done. Knowing Paul, he will be up at 6 a.m. Monday morning to make that trip and get our driver's licenses changed over to Mississippi. They still have car inspections here, which amounts to paying $5 for a sticker, for which the attendant asks to see your driver's license, odometer reading, and tag number. You don't even have to honk your horn any more, or turn your lights or blinkers on and off!

Aunt Ginny and I went to a visitation at the funeral home here for one of her friends and distant cousin (Joyce Robertson) and I saw a few folks I remembered, after being introduced to them. I did recognize one lady, but couldn't think of her name till AG told me. Sitting there, looking at people who I wondered if I knew them or not, I did think - people, just people everywhere you go - with souls, good hearts. These could very well be Wynne folks with different lives, faces, relatives. I really missed Wynne folks at that moment, but God seemed to reassure me that indeed, they are all kin and kinfolks but with different lives.

Afterward, we stopped by Velma's and visited her for about 30 minutes. Velma is Aunt G and Mama Nick's sister-in-law. She told me she'd been in the family 60 years and still didn't know all the relatives. AND she has always lived here. So I'm really starting from scratch. (She has a pretty 40" wide GE stove, which is what I'll need when ours is replaced. Because of the width, she said it had to be ordered. I was pretty sure that would be the case.)

I did bake the cupcakes in Mama Nick's oven, with the temperature turned down slightly and the baking time reduced a couple of minutes. They turned out fine. I forgot to put the Snickers in the final eight, but it was still batter-y enough so I slid out the pan and stuck them in. Paul and I each had one for dessert tonight. The recipe made 32, so I'm glad I didn't dump in double the ingredients. That'll be plenty.

Amy is supposed to be home tomorrow; I told her by lunch time - I'm putting on a roast in the crock pot tonight and cooking all those great veggies Bren gave me last night - okra, squash, peas; also tomatoes. I'll clear off the dining room table long enough to sit down to eat!

SPEAKING OF RESEMBLENCE

Maybe a little hard to see in pictures, but I can tell...  It's the eyes/nose, I think.

Me at age 7...

Steve & Erica's Kiley, age 4; great-niece.                                                                    

Mike & Marsha's Morgan, age  20; niece.

Mama, age 19...

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...