THE FIFTY YEAR OLD BLOG

We're in the army now
We're not behind a plow
We'll never get rich a'diggin' a ditch
We're in the army now.
                                                      Lyrics from WWIII song by Tell Taylor, Ole Olsen, Isham Jones

Well, it looks like I went on hiatus for about a month.  I can't explain why I couldn't make myself write on the blog.  I was kinda in a deep blue funk or something.  All is well.  I feel okay, the weather is good, I am getting some projects done around the house.  I just felt really blah and couldn't get motivated.  Sorry.

The title of this post is referring to some material I found amo Dad's papers.  While serving as a WAC in the army in 1965, my sister Karen would write home the most wonderful letters and I have been busy reading those fifty year old letters all about her life when she was a very young woman.  It's just like she was writing a blog. Karen writes in such detail, I feel like I am there seeing what she was talking about, and being around the people she knew.  Some parts are kinda  heartbreaking, because the army paid their soldiers so little, and Karen had to exist on very, VERY little money.  But she was resilient and found a way to get around the hard times. When she found out that I had those letters that the folks had saved all these years, Karen laughed and said she really wasn't interested in reading them since that was all in the past.  But I bet she would get such a kick out of reading about very dear friendships she had made, and the fun she and some of her friends had going to the bowling alley and getting cokes, and hanging out.  Tons of neat stuff.  I hope her daughter, Susan, will read this material and get to see a different side of her mom's personality that she never knew existed.

This is the latest info I have gotten on niece Heather.  Evidently  she has had to go to the University Hospital at least three times in the last several weeks.   She had surgery on her damaged foot (not "feet" like I mentioned before), then  surgery on her leg.  It appears that during the accident, she was thrown  through the back window, and when exiting the car, the window frame cut her thigh clear through to the bone, and then proceeded to peel the flesh back and roll it down her leg to the knee. She has been treated in the burn tank at the hospital, to remove dead skin as needed.  Now it sounds like she has developed a blood clot near her heart. Since she was in the hospital at the time of graduation, she was presented her diploma at the hospital by some dignitary - not sure who. Because of all the surgeries, she has had to stop chemo treatment for now, as her immune system is shaky.   Serious times, people, so again . . .  cross those fingers, say those prayers, and send all kinds of good juju to our girl.  Thanks.

Okay, so now it is summer vacation for the kids, and Alec is spending some of his time with me.  Last year at about this time, Little Ma told me that she had heard on the radio show Buy and Sell (?) that someone had a old adult tricycle for sale and she knew I was looking for one for Little Mister, since he has trouble balancing on a two-wheeler.  Long story short, we got it and lately we have gotten it out for Alec to ride.  He peddles up and down our lane, and when he gets to either end, I holler "Turn!", and he turns around and comes back.  Monday, he was out riding his bike in the glorious morning sunshine, when I made the mistake of taking my eyes off of him while getting the newspaper out of the box.  When I looked back at him, he was gone!  Yup, little guy had ridden off the drive-way and slipped down a steep hill and crashed.  Jeeze!  I hate it when one of the grandkids get hurt on my shift.  He buggered up one leg and said his back hurt, so I took him to the chiropractor yesterday and he says he feels much better!

We just had our roof redesigned and then had new shingles put on.  This is in preparation for our new siding that is going on in a few weeks.  Remember all the damage that occurred last June 30th with the straight-line wind storms that messed everything up?  Well, we are just getting the siding replaced now, since so many contractors were swamped with work.  I tried to talk hubby into a nice light yellow color with white trim this time around, but I guess we are getting the same color green that we have had for the last 37 years.  whoopee

Here is a picture of Alec riding the old trike down our lane. The area where he crashed is behind him and to the right at the end of the lane.  The hill really slopes down and he kinda rolled the bike over and onto him.

Also, a picture of my rock pile that Hubby and Dan have brought home to me over the years.  Jenna and Alec gave me some lemon grass, lavender plants and some other varieties for Mother's Day and we spent a whole Saturday rearranging the rocks and putting down landscape fabric and planting. 

Sister Sandy has started moving into her nice new BIG house and is loving it.  She say her dog Bud is scared to walk down the stairs to the lower level.  They had a one story house before, and he is freaking out about all the newness of this place. Can't wait to see it, but she says I can't until her new furniture gets delivered . . . in 6 to 8 weeks!!!!!

This is an old antique stone sharpener that Lon got from his mother's yard. I really like it.

Just got done talking to son Dan for a bit, and he was telling me about his new construction job.  He runs machines, and seems to really like it.

Well, I'll try not to take so long between postings on the blog.  I'll let you know if anything interesting happens. 

                                                                             GOD BLESS YOU ALL