Sorting through stuff and old memories...

This weekend has been a working weekend. We have been sorting and packing up more of our past life. This is beginning to get frustrating for me as some of these things have very emotional feelings attached to them. I know that if we are going to start this next part of our lives that we cannot keep all of these things, but some of them I just can't part with yet. We are going to put some things in storage for awhile just to make sure that this is the life we really want to live. I know that we will eventually have a home base somewhere, probably in Texas, so we may need some of these things.

Along with all this sorting, packing, and tossing, we are trying to keep the house in order since we will be having lots of company this next weekend for Mac's company retirement party. We may have up to 20 people at our house. Some will be staying in a motel, but they will still be here most of the time. Whew...

I have been reminiscing today. Jenny, one of our RV-Dreams friends has been posting stories of her younger years back in Tennessee and has reminded me of many memories from our past.

As I sorted through things, I was remembering things from the past like going to the Drive-In on Saturday nights with friends and hardly ever remembering what the movie was about. Listening to K.O.M.A.  on AM radio out of Oklahoma City to all the newest tunes. Buying 45's and listening to them on my own small record player. Hanging out with friends and dragging main street on Friday and Saturday nights...man the years have past. Our grandkids have no idea what you are talking about when we talk about things like this..they say "You did what?"

So here is a little history of my life.

My parents were both from Missouri. Here is a photo of my mom and dad when they were very young

and a photo of my dad, my sister, me, and my brother.

I was born in Missouri in the small town of Mansfield. I think that I was the first one that was actually born in a hospital.

I went to a small rural grade school called Red Rock School for the Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grades. Then we moved to town(Ulysses, KS) where I had to meet all new friends. That was kind of scary. I graduated? from 8th grade and proceeded on to Grant County High School in Ulysses for my Freshman year. There was a  new high school built so we were moved to the new school in my sophomore year.

I remember going to my grandmother's house in the summer for a two week vacation every year. I never knew either of my grandfather's as they had already passed away before I was either born or old enough to remember them.  Both of my grandmothers wore the standard full apron. There were only a few times that they took them off like going to church or when company was coming.

My grandma Milligan was a very short woman with definite Native American features. She was part Cherokee Indian. She used to tell me stories all the time about her life as a young lady, but I was so young that I was not that interested. I wanted to go outside and play with my cousins. Now I wish with all my life that I had paid more attention. She told me one time that her parents never slept at the same time. They slept in shifts so that they could be aware of what was happening around the house. She said that my great grandpa had hidden his money on the homestead somewhere and that was part of the reason he was so cautious. I was told that when he died, they never found his stash.

She also told me stories about things her parents had told her. About Jesse and Frank James coming to visit her grandparents when father was young. How they had came at night to visit and get supplies and rest, and then would leave before sunrise so they wouldn't be seen. She told me many stories about that time in her life, but I only remember a couple.

She was very superstitious. She would see things and tell you of things that would be happening..sometimes they didn't, but a lot of times they did. I know, this sounds like a movie...but she was really like this.

So Jenny, you have stirred up a whole bunch of memories that I had forgotten...thank you so much for that...I really needed to remember those great times.

Here are a few memories that most of us will also remember..Click on the link and set back and relax.

http://thefiftiesandsixties.com/growingupinthefifties.htm

 

Well I had better get back to work...I'll post a few other memories at another time. I hope you enjoyed them.  I have a habit to ramble on so sorry if this was chopped up too much...

Have a Great Week!

 

Life is a Journey...enjoy it!

Mac to the rescue....

Netters is feeling crappy,she thinks it might be a touch of the stomach flu, so Mac has stepped up to the plate to do the blog.(Don't expect this to happen often).Last Tuesday I had a post op appointment with the throat surgeon. He said there was still a little swelling on the vocal chords which was normal, and everything else looked fine. While we were in the exam room, he went ahead and went over Lynette's sleep study results. He said that her oxygen level went from 98 to less than 60, which was way to low, so he is prescribing a breathing machine for her also. She will have to experiment with it for awhile to get the oxygen levels where they want. I guess both of us will look like aliens with breathing masks on every night. They spray some kind of liquid in your nose to numb your nose and throat so they can run a little camera through your nose and down into your throat to look at the vocal chords. I must be allergic to the spray because about 30 minutes after I leave the Drs. office I start sneezing and my nose starts running like a water faucet. Every time he does this it gets worse and lasts longer.After a short while it starts hurting and about drives me nuts,(which I'm well on my way to anyway). I told Netters that I would rather have the surgery than have that spray in my nose again. I'm supposed to go for another checkup in 6 months but he is going to have to put me to sleep or come up with another way to look at my vocal chords because I won't let him spray that stuff in my nose again. It has been 5 days now and still is bugging me, but not nearly as bad.
Seems like about half of the winter we have got very little done on getting the house ready to put on the market because one or both of us have been sick or restricted because of health issues. It will be so nice to get to where we can get back to normal. If things continue like they look, we will be back to getting things done this week. We certainly have a lot to get accomplished before we go to Kerrville and I go back to work on the pipeline inspection job. Until Netters makes the next post, I hope this is the last fill in job for me. Later...

Happy birthday Speedy!!

Today is a special person's birthday. We are proud to call this man our friend. We may not have known him very long but he is a great guy.

We are anxious to spend many more hours with him and Sherri traveling this great country.

So, today Speedy, we wish for you a special day and a great year!

Mac's too Busy to do Today's Blog...

I have tried to get Mac to do one day's blog...he seems to always have an excuse. I'm too busy or some such excuse. Here is a photo of his favorite past time...

Well, it has not been a very active week. Mac went to the doctor on Tuesday for a surgery follow-up. Dr Anderson says that he is doing fine and to keep doing what he has been. I worked Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

I have been looking for pillows for the sofa for the new 5er and have not found anything that matches the fabric samples we were given. So, I purchased some fabric to make some...lol. Maybe that will happen. I need a new sewing machine as the one I have need work done to it and the tension does not work correctly. If I ever get them made, I will post some photos.

I also worked on some more vinyl lettering projects that I wanted to get done. I made a sign for us to hang from the front of the Augusta and now I have finished the smaller ones that will hang from it. I have 2 small signs but can put lettering on both sides. So far I have only put lettering on one side of them. Here are the photos...

Mac just has to drill some holes in them and put some "S" hooks in them. These are about 6" x 24" and the big one that I posted on the last blog is 12" x 24". 

Should be easy for people to read from the road.

Mac has been making a list of things he needs to buy. He has been prioritizing it by what we need first. Now, me, I have a list of things that I want to buy...but I want it all now..lol

We sold our Chevy Silverado  1/2 ton yesterday. That is one thing off our list of to-do's. Now if we can just get rid of the TT, Boat and get the other things sold or boxed up for storage.

I have been fighting this upper respiratory infection and have been really worn out. I have not felt like doing much so haven't gotten much accomplished. I need to get at it again or we will not get this house on the market.

Well that is all for this week.

Life may not be all we imagined, but while we are here, we should Dance...

Vacation's Over...Back to Work

My long holiday vacations are almost over. Tomorrow I have to go back to work and I won't have another vacation until March! Hopefully the time will fly by and it will be time to go to Kerrville for some rest, relaxation and the company of new friends! We can hardly wait.

I took some more photos of our new truck yesterday after Mac washed it. Here are a few...

Mac and I have not done a whole lot this last few days. We are both still recuperating from our surgeries and from a respiratory infection.

I have been working on a couple of things for our new truck and 5er though.  Here they are...

I made a sign to hang from the front of the 5er on the hitch for when we are parked at a campground. It will have holes in the top and will hang from a small chain..and it will also have some holes in the bottom of it so that we can hang a smaller sign with other information (like our SKP#, Heartland Owners #, and Mac & Netters). I also made a license plate for the front of the truck.

I have been working on a few other vinyl lettering things for inside of the trailer to set around. Hope they come out ok.

I have also been making a list of things that I would like for Mac to make for me for inside the 5er. I need some drawers made for a kitchen cabinet and some shelves made for the bedroom...and probably will think of many more things before it gets here...lol.

Our grandson, Jordan was here for Christmas Day. We don't get to see him very often so I took some photos of him while he was here. He turned 17 on November 29th. It's hard to believe that we have 2 grandchildren that are 17. WOW. Here is one of the photos I took of Jordan.

Well I guess Mac and I are healing up pretty good, so we don't have any excuse now for not getting back to work on this house. We are going to start boxing up more things to get rid of. I'm going to start working on my list of things that need to go into the new 5th wheel and try to start putting some decorative things into a plastic container.

Well, I think I have rambled on enough for one night...

Life is a Journey...enjoy it

My New Project

This is my newest project...