May He Rest In Peace

 It's Sunday!

A day of worship although we should be worshiping God in every way, every day.

I thought I'd post a picture of a historic church near where I live. It's St. Luke's in Smithfield, Virginia.

I have been there several times. When I first discovered that church, I felt a connection. Little did I know, at that time, that my 9th great-grandfather was buried in the chancel of that church, in front of the pulpit. 

St. Luke's was built in 1623, making it the oldest church in the state of Virginia and the oldest Gothic church in the United States. My ancestor, Joseph Bridger, was given much acknowledgement for the important contribution he made in completing the Church.

Oh, the story does not end there...

In 2007 descendents of Joseph Bridger gave the Smithsonian permission to unearth some of Bridger's bones in order to study why he may have died.

He was supposedly one of the richest men in Colonial Virginia. So, Joseph (well, at least part of him) traveled to Washington D. C. and he underwent extensive testing. Seems he died of lead poisoning, his body containing 7 times the amount of lead that would have been found in a corpse this day and time. He was rich, he ate off of pewter plates, drank out of pewter mugs and the lead from those articles leaked into his system and killed him.

Joseph bones were brought back to St. Luke's and he was laid to rest where he had always been. 

That's pretty cool, isn't it? Leastwise, I thought so! I'm so proud that so many of my ancestors were involved in the making of this country. 

Rambling Wednesday

 I don't go into all that celebrity worship like a lot of folks do, but I could not help but be sad about Dolly Parton's husband passing. I appreciate his role in her life. She needed the spotlight, he needed his solitude and they made it happen. That's what love is all about.... letting your 'other' be themselves without giving up who you are. My husband was always supportive of what I did. And, I supported him. Geez, I miss that man! 

A quick note and I'll shut up about my teeth. Man, have they dominated my life for months now but I see the light at the end of the tunnel. I just want to thank all of you who have posted such comforting messages. You girls are the best! 

I don't know when I have been more positive about life (what little there is left of it) and I am so thankful for that. I'm gonna make each day count big time and enjoy it all. 

I am heavy into reading self-help books and yes I have gone the therapy route in short spurts during my lifetime (it always seems I need that after me losing a loved one). It's not a bad thing to been as diligent about your mental health as it is your physical health.

Speaking of physical health. My son and I talk over the cell phone often about changing our eating habits. He's all for it and I am to a certain extend. I figure at this age I don't need to give up all my guilty pleasures! 

Oh, while I am on the subject of eating. What is your favorite SOFT food to eat after dental work? I am finding that it is tough to vary your diet much if you want soft stuff. Maybe you can help me out. 

Here's a blast from my past.....

(guess you can tell I don't have any BIG thing to share today so I am rambling haha)

me riding my daughter's horse, Charlie

back in the 1970s

Doing Some Rambling!

 If you follow me you know that the past 2 months have been filled with dental work. 7 visits so far in two months time and there's more on the schedule. Guess my teeth decided it was time to call it quits! 

Tuesday I was sitting in the dentist chair while she did the last segment of a root canal. I'm thinking that I am more than thrilled to be over with that part of it and then she drops a bombshell on me. She's found another tooth which has to have a root canal! Good Lord, when is all this going to stop!

I really enjoyed reading your comments you posted about recalling the good ole days! I'm so happy you took the time to respond to that. Seems that most of us had some cool memories of those long gone days. Although we lived in different places, in different parts of the country, at different times we all had these really neat things that we recall from our childhood.

I did not want to get out of bed this morning!! So, I just snuggled down deeper under the covers trying to convince myself I really should start my day. I find that it's so much easier to make excuses for not getting out of bed (now that I'm older). Do, you ever do that? 

I feel so badly for those poor families who expected their loved ones to come home from Kansas City the other night. Such a tragedy and one I feel could have been prevented. I just don't like to fly anymore. Yet, my kids tell me all the time, 'It's safer than being on the highway, Mom'. I know that! But, I can choose not to like to fly if I don't feel comfortable with it. Right? 

Yes, I know.... I am rambling.... will try to have my act together next time I post. I certainly hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Can't wait to catch up with the latest! 

The Good Ole Days!! haha

 Last Thursday a bunch of us met in the Common room for a gab-fest (we call our gathering 'Chat and Chew") and some lunch. We brown-bag it and then just visit. 

We got to talking about how much life has changed in our lifetime. Oh, my gosh. Well, just look around you and you'll get the picture. It was more than fun to relive some of those old days although I am not sure I'd want to go back to them. 

Mom didn't have a telephone 'til after I had married and left home. Being out in the country had it's challenges for sure. We could see one house... and they didn't have a phone either! Imagine now we just carry our phones in our pockets or hands wherever we go.

I was in my teens before we ever got an indoor toliet. I definately do not want to go back to the outdoor kind! Nor the Sear, Roebuck catalog toliet paper!

from the internet

I was eighteen when I took my first plane ride and I was scared to get out of my seat.  How, stupid is that! But, hey, I was a country girl and knew nothing about flying! It was a propeller driven plane. The first commercial jet came into service in 1952, the year I flew to San Diego from Alabama with my 3 month old daughter in tow.

from the internet

We lived with my grandmother and grandpa and I remember my grandmother walking through some of the weed-grown fields near the house, her apron tail gathered in her hand so she could place in it the eggs the hens had laid out there, just anywhere they pleased. 

Everyone had their own tales but me being the oldest at the chat and chew, I think mine were the most shocking. 

Did any of you have things happening like that when you were growing up? Nah, probably not. I'm older than the hills, I am. 

I am sure by the time all you youngsters (and that includes anyone 85 and under) you came along, you had it easier!! 

December - a special time in my life!

 I read a friend's blog this morning. Now I had never heard of blogmas (something bloggers did in years past) but as I understand it, you post something every day of December (I think you use old posts or you can do new ones about Christmas) Anyway, go to  https://eatingwellonasmallbudget.blogspot.com/ to check it out. 

I thought I'd try it. Something new to do (not that I don't have a lot going on) hehe. 

So here goes:

I met my husband on a Christmas Eve, the year 1947. He was a clerk at a store where my folks were buying last minute Christmas gifts. There was an instant connection. In Feb 1948 he entered the Navy and we spent most of our courting time writing letters to each other. He even proposed to me in a letter. I have it to this very day, 74 years later! 

                    In 1950 on Dec. 10th we married 

              so December is a very special month for me. 

Ponies For The Kids

 

We'd finally moved into a permanent home, out in the country, after years of chasing my husband around all over the place with his Navy career.

The kids had never asked for ponies but here comes a horse trailer with shetland ponies in it. What the dickens! But, they were unloaded, the kids chose their favorite and we became a horse farm, so to speak.

Now, my husband (after 22+ years in the Navy) had been in Korea... the battle of Inchon for one scary time and there were others. Not a scratch!  Then he was aboard a ship that hauled nuclear warheads to Vietnam. Again not a scratch! No purple heart for this guy. Thank God. 

So, one of the ponies kept getting out of the fenced in place we had for them. A neighbor said he'd house the pony until Elbert could come up with a plan to keep that thing at home. He walked the pony up to the neighbors, then he calls me, 'Come take me to the dr. I think I broke my arm.' 

Yep, that silly man had decided he'd ride that pony (not far, just to see if he could) after all he was over 6 ft tall. And, the pony had bucked him off, down on the ground he went and he ended up with a broken arm! Two wars, not a scratch... and a dad gum Shetland pony injures him. It was funny. 

Of course, we didn't laugh where he could see us but just think about this. His legs were long enough that if he had just of put his feet on the ground that pony could have walked right out from under him. 

The First Goodbye

 

I wish I knew how many times I had kissed my husband goodbye as he headed off to sea in his Naval career. I might could figure it out but that would be work!! 

We'll say it was a bunch.

I was just thinking about that first time I saw Elbert off to sea. A new bride of 6 months and wouldn't you know it! The night before the ship left, Elbert had duty! 

Early one misty morning, Elbert and I stood on the pier, arms tight around each other, savoring every second we had together. I was determined I was not going to cry in front of him... and I remained dry eyed.... until that ship eased away from the pier, Elbert standing at the rail waving a last goodbye. Boy, did I let the tears fall then.

Back at the apartment, I packed up my belongings, went to the train station and headed back to Alabama and the comfort my family could give me. 

I was 17 years old, 3 months pregnant, alone oh so alone. 

But, that was the first of so many goodbyes. 

What I wouldn't give to see him sail off to sea once more! Those were sad,lonely moments of life but oh, the homecomings were beyond joy! 

He "set sail" his last time on Jan 3, 2011. 

The homecoming is going to be beyond joy! 

This is a picture of me made about that time. Back in Alabama!

A Hankering for Cornbread Dressing

                                    

I have a 'hankering' for some good ole southern cornbread dressing this morning. With mashed potatoes and gravy. Forget the turkey! 

My Mama made the best cornbread dressing ever! 

Oh, that makes me remember the time I tried making dressing for the first time. It was 1957 and we were living in an apartment on Castle Street in Honolulu. There were 8 apartments and our landlord was Mr. Ching. He was a quiet man but I can still, in my mind's ear, hear him shuffling around the property wearing those leather flip-flops of his. 

picture taken from internet

He was kind, a good landlord. Once a month he'd host a luau out in the parking lot in front of our building. Those were always fun. 

Shirley entertaining everyone at one of our luaus. 

One day he came up to me  and asked, 'you from the south, right? How 'bout you making some of that yellow pudding for our next luau?'

Yellow pudding? Maybe he meant banana pudding. It's yellow. Or maybe a lemon pie, or just plan vanilla pudding. I had no clue what he was asking me to make. 

I asked Alice who lived next door. What the heck is Mr. Ching talking about? 

" Oh, he loved cornbread dressing that a previous resident used to make."

Cornbread Dressing!!

picture taken from AllRecipes online

Lordy mercy on me. I'd never made that dish in my life. And, this was decades before Google and it was too expensive to call my Mama for advice. In fact, we didn't even have a telephone!  So, I just winged it.

Luau night came, the group was in fine spirits and I nervously sat my dish of cornbread dressing among all the other yummy food on the table. The salads, the veggies, the poi, the lomi-lomi salmon.

My dressing was a disaster! Dry, not enough seasoning, just awful.

Guess you know Mr. Ching never asked me to make yellow pudding again. 

Poor Mr. Ching. Well, I tried. I really did. I can make cornbread dressing now but it never measures up to my Mama's. 

Monday Memory - Strollers

 Things change! Boy, do they! 

I wonder if any of you remember the strollers we used for our babies? Of course, they probably are all different depending on the time we had those little ones. 

I first stroller I had was of course for my first child, Marie. We were living in San Diego, California and here is Marie in her stroller in front of our row of apartments. It looks so darn strange now, doesn't it? 

That weird push handle... my word and that half enclosed seating area. That couldn't have been comfortable. And, oh my gosh... the wheels had covers! Uptown, for sure. Year... 1952

Susan came along in 1963. No pics of the transportation for the two in between.

The push handle looks more sturdy. And, the seating is actually cloth which had to be better than sitting for hours on metal! A nice comfortable place to rest those sweet feet and a tray to hold toys. To heck with the wheel covers!! 

In 11 years the manufactors had made a huge improvement. 

Then the grandbabies came along. Still more changes made in their care.

A trip to the zoo with Christopher and Yvonne. Strollers were totally minamilized. 

But, Grandmother to the rescue. Now, this is the way to travel. I had such fun pushing those grandbabies around the yard in our wheelbarrow. Better than a stroller any day of the week. 

Good News on the Alzheimers front

 I just got my newsletter from AARP and was thrilled to see an article about Alzheimers. Seems they have a new blood test that has proved to be 90% effective in detecting Alzheimers. I know my children are thrilled about this, as am I.

Elbert (on the right with two of our children)

You see, their active, fun-loving, joke-telling Dad got Alzheimers. That was determined in 2001. He was 71 years old. 

We'd just moved to Virginia to be closer to our children and I had this vision of him and me just sitting on the porch holding hands, watching the sunset until we both were so old we had to pass on to another life. 

My vision which changed drastically

That vision became a nightmare. I cared for him for 10 1/2 years. He forgot who his family was, he tried to 'go home' more often than I want to admit. He thought he was still in the Navy and was AWOL because he wasn't on the ship. He fell so often I couldn't be out of his sight. 

He could still fit in his old uniform and he still knew how to salute. 2007

My children worried about getting Alzheimers, especially my son. So, this is great news .... that research is making great strides in detecting it. Now, if they could just figure out how to cure it! 

2009 just over one year before he was gone. 

Can't Beat An Old Country Store!

 Sometimes GPSs are more trouble than they are worth!! 

On Tuesday Shirley and I was trying to find a little country store about 15 miles from my apartment and I've never seen so many twists and turns on this little bitty narrow country road. There's no way I could ever find it on my own and the GPS wasn't too much help.

This place is well-known, lots of people go there. It's small, crowded, not a lot of space but crammed full of all sorts of things to eat. 

I don't or won't cook much just for myself. So, I am always on the lookout for ready-to-eat stuff I can warm up. 

I bought some home-grown sausage. Can't wait to try that. I sure hope it is good.

I bought a home-made frozen chicken pot pie. Way too big for me but I have company coming!! 

I got some chicken salad which was pretty darn good. 

And, a dozen deviled eggs. Gee, it's nice to be able to just open the fridge and get one out when I want it.  I didn't have to peel one single egg!! Yippee!

And, I got Hoop Cheese.

For those of you who don't know what hoop cheese is... Hoop cheese is farmer made, not produced manufacturally and can be difficult to find because it has a short shelf life. It used to be a common cheese product in the Southern United States in the early to mid 1900s. It's dark yellow, a bit chewy, stringy when heated. I was thrilled to see it and got 1/4 lb. should have gotten more. Had me some Hoop Cheese Toast this morning. Yummy.

Now, there is a story behind my excitement in finding it. When I was a teenager, my mom and stepdad owned a dry cleaning establishment. When I would go with them for a day my stepdad would drive up to a nearby store and buy hoop cheese and crackers plus stuff for us to make a sandwich for our lunch. I don't think I've had hoop cheese since that time. 

Seeing it in Darden's store was like walking back into my youth. 

Memories of a Move

                                                   Was it 24 years ago? Seems like yesterday! 

Our children had grown up and moved away, leaving me and Elbert alone on that 60 acre farm. We were getting older (Elbert was 69, I was 65), time to think about all the work of taking care of such a place, of missing out on so much of our grandchildren's lives. So, we packed up and moved closer to family. 

I can't say Elbert was too happy about the move. He thought he would be able to tend to all that acreage, the dozen cows, the dozens of fox hounds, make a garden, mow the grass ...

 he just couldn't see that his body and mind would fail him. Me... I was so ready to downsize, be closer to family. So, it was a tug-'o-war. 

The move was emotional, especially for the children who had grown up there. But, that move proved to be the best thing that could have happened. 

Within one years time Elbert was diagnosed with prostrate cancer (radiation for that). Then in another year I discovered I had colon cancer (surgery, chemo for that), then followed two total knee replacements for me and a diagnosis of Alzheimers for Elbert. That illness entailed 10 more years of constant care for him. We lost him in Jan 2011. 

Now, don't you tell me that God did not have a plan in place about our move. We never would have made it living so far away from our children during all that. I am so grateful for God's guidance when we needed it the most.  

Minnie Pearl - "HOWDY"

 How many of you remember Minnie Pearl from the Grand Ole Opry? That woman was a character! She would shashay out onto the stage, swinging her full skirt from side to side, a large price tag hanging from the brim of her hat. And, she'd stop in front of the microphone and yell 'HOW-DEE'?. The crowds would go wild. 

She'd start off telling stories about her Uncle Nabob, his wife Ambrosia and of course, Brother, who was smart but slow-witted. They all lived in Grinder Switch. Her comedy routines always brought down the house.  

This is where the story gets interesting, to me, anyway. I hope you find it entertaining as well. 

Colley was hired as a drama coach for the Wayne P. Sewall Producing Company, a small Atlanta theatrical organization that sent directors into small Southern towns to put on amateur plays in local schools. It was for this reason, in 1935, that Colley found herself in Baileyton, Alabama nearly broke, and right smack in the middle of a major snowstorm. 

Minnie Pearl wrote about this incident in her autobiography.

“My train pulled into the little depot in the middle of a blizzard. I was the only person who got off. It was about three o’clock in the afternoon, and already almost dark, with snow falling so heavily I could hardly see.”

Without anyone there to meet her at the station, Colley managed to finagle a ride to the school house. The drive was dangerous, them slip sliding all over the place as they drove along the dirt road. She finally reached the school. No one was there except a small group of teachers who were meeting with the principal.

When the meeting was over, Colley realized the principal hadn’t expected her to arrive due to the weather. Nonetheless, she was there and needed a place to stay. Unfortunately, she had used most of her spending money to pay for her ride from the train station to the school. So, the principal came up with a plan.

Colley recalled. “There I was with $2 left in my pocket and Cullman 15 miles away by an icy road that would certainly be impassable at night. By this time, it was already dark. Someone suggested a family that lived in a mountain cabin about a mile from the school. ‘I’ll bet they’d take you in,’ the principal said.”

The family in that mountain cabin happened to have been my great-grandfather's sister and her husband and children. My (Willie Latane Barton)'s great, great aunt, Mattie Butler Burden. 

I am sure they welcomed Miss Colley with a warmness that southern families are known for. She probably shared their meager supper and slept in a bed with some of the children. Little did they know that they were hosting a woman who would become world famous with her "Howdy" and that price tag hat. The character, Minnie Pearl, had a good deal of Mattie Burden in her. Sarah wove some of Mattie's ways into her Minnie Pearl persona.  

Minnie Pearl was as far-fetched from Sarah Ophelia Colley as she could be. Sarah was born on October 25, 1912, the youngest of five daughters of a well-to-do lumberman and his wife. Growing up she loved to dance and dreamed of becoming an actress. After high school, she went to Ward-Belmont College, which was Nashville's most prestigious school for young ladies at the time, where she majored in theater and dance. She became one of the Grand Ole Opry's most loved and revered members. 

Take To The Skies

 I have some pictures taken out of a plane window, clouds so gorgeous and I got to thinking about how flying has changed over the years. 

The first flight I made was in 1953 with a 3 month old. Those were times not everybody was hopping on a plane to go somewhere.. Flying was a BIG DEAL and it was expensive! You got all dressed up and you were catered to so that you got to thinking you are a dang movie star! Of course, I had never flown before and you could say I was pretty nervous. But, I got there. 

Here is a picture of my Mom and step-dad in the early 1960s. I wish it was closer up so you could see that pretty frilly blue dress Mama had on, with her broad-brimmed hat and gloves, high heels. My step-dad in a suit with a white shirt and tie and his hat. I mean, you got dressed up to fly. And, you got food to eat on a plane, meat, salad, veggies and dessert! There was anywhere from 3-6" more leg room. It was fun back in those days. 

In 1957 I flew from Birmingham, Alabama to Honolulu, Hawaii ... with a 5 year old, a baby 13 months old and me 8 months pregnant. Now, that was a trip! This is the plane like we flew on.  Not very big for such a long flight. No jets, just propellers turning around and around. 

When we got to Honolulu we were met by my husband with leis to drape around our necks and big hugs and kisses. I wanted to see what the airport in Honolulu looked like back then 'cause I could not remember so I googled it. 

Just look at the greeters all lined up by the runway. Sure don't see that today! 

Six months later my husband got new duty (Navy) on Midway Island and we took off flying once again, only this time in a Military transport plane. No frills on that plane and it was a 1,034 mile journey with, by now, 3 children. But, hubby was along to help this time. 

Eighteen months later we headed back to Honolulu on this plane... I actually have a picture of it! Passengers loaded from the tail of the plane, I believe it was a military plane. 

And, I've flown dozens of times since, cross-country, up and down the east coast, to France, to Ireland. And, it seemed every time I flew things were getting worse. 

Now days, it's a nightmare. No fun anymore.

I have learned a bit about the life of a flight attendant, too, since my granddaughter-in-law-to-be is one. They used to call them stewardesses. 

A stewardess in the 1960s

An attendant in the 2020s 

 Not much has changed. They still have to wear hose and heels most of the time, have a perfect appearance including manicures, hairdos and such. Even the dress isn't that much different, just a tad shorter. 

I bet you didn't know that an attendant has to often get up at 3 or 4 in the morning, get herself to the airport only to discover the flight is delayed or cancelled... and she doesn't get any pay until that plane is in the air... so if she's sitting in the airport or on the runway waiting for it to take off, she's not getting paid. Passengers can complain all they want (and some of them do big time) but the attendants just have to smile and take it. 

Well, I have bored you long enough. 

Sorry about that.

Just feel so for us all because flying just isn't fun anymore!