2021 Christmas Letter of Activies

 My events of the year 

I began a daily Bible Study and reading online with Christy Jordan (Seeking Scripture). We began Jan 1, reading Genesis, and will end Dec with Revelations. 

Took several day trips this year and a couple of trips.

In Jan went to see several covered bridges in South Alabama, the Easley Bridge, the Swann Bridge, the Horton Mill Covered Bridge, and Noccalula Falls in Gadsden.

Feb Day trip to Guntersville and Huntsville.

 

March, we took a day trip to Oak Mountain State Park to the museum and to see rescued birds of prey.

July, we rode to Spring Valley Farms, Lutts, Tennessee, to the Sunflower fields with friends, and we rode to Clifton, Tennessee, for lunch.

October took a trip with sisters to Mooresville, North Carolina & Mount Airy (home of Andy Griffin)

November took a cruise to Cozumel and Progreso with a friend.

Three trips to Huntsville Botanical Gardens 

Cheek-wood Botanical Gardens in Nashville and their Lego art display. 

On March 6, Ava celebrated her sixth birthday party at Chuck-e-Cheese.

June River celebrated his third birthday. 

June 19, Atlas celebrated his first birthday(SR The ROOM 124 Wheeler Street Rogersville)(First Trip around the Sun)

June 29, Hazel Cate was born (fifth great-grandchild)

Dec 5, Hayne’s 2nd Birthday Party@Shoals Next Level 850 Howell Heflin Lane Tuscumbia (inflatables for kids inside) his birthday is Dec 10

(Onik, BAA, Cluck & Moo Hayne is turning two!)

Dec 17, Suprise birthday party for my sister Vicki (Zip City Community Center)she is turning 70

Hubby and I both got our first Coronavirus shots in March and the second one in April.

In April, I took Mike (my oldest son) to the orthopedic Center for back surgery after an accident at work. 

Events I did 

Walking Tours  & Hikes 

Florence Cemetery Walk 

Mooresville Walking Tour 

Donnell House Tour 

Sheffield Business Walking tour

National Wildlife Hike

PawPaw Patch Hike

National Mushroom Hike  

On May 7, Our Newly built Modular Home was delivered (this kept us busy)

May 20, 31, Furniture delivered (bedroom furniture and foyer)

May-June Hubby installed 4 ceiling fans and a sliding shower in the smaller bathroom.

June-July Utilities, plumbing, natural gas, internet, Dish, and septic tank installed.

June Washer and Dryer delivered 

June Sofa and kitchen table delivered 

June 75-inch TV  installed 

Aug Man returns to do repairs and install the chimney.

Sep-Dec Hubby built a Deck on the Side and Back of the Modular Home. 

Aug Concert driveway installed. 

Aug sold our RV 

Nov 1, Garage installed. 

On May 5, Robert H. died (my sister Paula’s husband)

On May 8, Marcus (grandson) graduated 4 UNA College with a Bachelor's Degree in Physics  

May 28, Montana graduated from Rogers High School (got job Monarch Tile)

Aug, our swimming was hit by lighting, filling the yard with gallons of water.

Sep, Killen opened the Used book store where I volunteer once a month. It has been closed for over a year and a half because of the Coronavirus.

July, Root canal and a bridge (tooth broke) 

Nov, tooth pulled and one filled (accessed)

Well, we finally settled into our new home, limestone gravel all around, concrete drive with garage and deck on side and back of home. 

We celebrated Labor Day with two pots of chicken stew with the kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids. 

We celebrated Thanksgiving with turkey, ham, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, blackberry cobbler, cranberry sauce, Butterfinger cake, dressing, etc. 

We are planning a big Christmas, not sure yet what we are serving, but I am sure it will be good. 

So glad we sold the RV and got to move into something bigger so I can entertain at my house instead of taking everything somewhere else. 

I have my Christmas tree up, decorations everywhere, a couple of poinsettia setting on the table, & bar ready for Christmas. 

2021 ends with lots of good memories 

2022 may be even better.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

2020 The year of Coronavirus and wearing mask

Total left knee replacement was March 10, that same week, much of our country was shut down because of the  Coronavirus.

I stayed overnight at the hospital and was sent home with all the equipment I would need for the next few weeks for home therapy.

I also went to three days a week to Peak Performance for physical therapy.

The Sciatic nerve in my lower back flared up, which caused therapy to be very painful. 

My Orthopedic doctor had to manipulate my left knee, which helped relieve some of the pain in my lower back. 

It took several months before I could enjoy walking, and I was thankful to have my hubby doing my household chores. 

I could not read or sit at my computer because it was too painful, and it was hard for me to concentrate. 

On June 18, our granddaughter gave birth to a baby boy. 

Only her hubby could be with her, and her baby shower was virtual. 

(Great Grandson Atlas Ian is doing great; he is growing like a weed.)

River, our great-grandson, turned two on June 2.

We celebrated our great-grandson's first birthday on Sunday, December 13. 

He and his mother both had the Coronavirus, and both are doing fine now. 

Our daughter-in-law contracted the Coronavirus at work and gave it to her husband (our son), they were quarantined for 14 days. 

Schools across the United States were shut down, and graduating was just months away for seniors.

Our grandson, a senior, graduated in May after months of his school being shut down. 

Our country was in a pandemic, with businesses, schools, factories, and restaurants shut down.

People dying, and the virus spreading like wildfire, causing people to stress out. 

Lowes was doing a booming business during the pandemic because people were afraid to go anywhere, so many did home projects and gardening.

 I enjoyed spending time attending to my flowers and herbs. 

The Coronavirus has kept many inside this year beginning in the Spring. It sored through  

Summer and Autumn, now it is Winter, and the coronavirus is still here.

The CBS bible study that I attend every year is now virtual. It is great that we can still see one another through Zoom and be safe. 

We have grandchildren attending Universities, High School, and Kindergarten with odd days.

Every Thursday and Friday in September & October, we kept our great-granddaughter, Ava.

We did the social distance, we would take her to our local parks, where she enjoyed feeding the turtles and fish. 

For the last two weeks, Hubby and I have been picking our great-granddaughter up at school. 

Her uncle is a senior this year and usually takes and picks her up, but in the last two weeks, he has not gone to school on Thursdays and Fridays. (because of the pandemic)

Hubby went back to work part-time in June and full-time in September. 

Last year was a sad year for my niece she lost her husband to cancer. 

But 2020 has brought her happiness, she found another love, and they were married on the first of October. 

The Coronavirus is still on the rampage, the numbers are going down. 

Most states have a mandate that you have to wear a mask covering your nose and mouth before entering a place of business. 

High-risk people are encouraged to stay home and have their groceries & personal items delivered.

Stores limit the number of people inside their stores. Restaurants have spaced their tables at least 6 feet apart. Many places of business have a shield or partitions to protect their employees. 

Some places will only take credit cards because they do not want to handle money that is full of germs.

The flu season is just around the corner, and the medical field is in a rush to come up with an anti-virus serum to give to the public to help prevent the further spread of the Coronavirus.

We have missed so much of our annual Halloween parties and Thanksgiving meals with family, and now Christmas is just around the corner. 

Our family get-togethers may be small this year. 

Hubby contracted the Coronavirus from a co-worker, and I got it from him.  We missed having a Thanksgiving meal with our families. 

In November, I went to the Mountains with my cousin and aunt. We ate out a couple of times and did a little shopping, but mostly, we just enjoyed each other's company.

We bought a Modular home in July but will not be finished until late January. This Coronavirus has put a dent in many aspects of our lives. 

My dad fell and broke his hip and died shortly in November. 

Our family is going to celebrate Christmas on December 20 and have a sister gathering on Christmas Day.

We just have to take one day at a time. 

This year, we have had a birth (a great-grandson), a death (my dad), a marriage (my niece), and sickness.

We have been very busy this year but differently. Life as we know it will no longer be the same.

Even in a pandemic, life goes on. 

 

👣👣👣👣 2017 April 1 & 8, Walking Tours in Athens, Alabama

April Walking Tours 

On April 1, Saturday, I drove to the Visitor Center in Athens to join them on a Walking Tour.

There were sign-up sheets for the following tours. 

1. Athens University Historic Tour WITH ANNA GIBBS

2. Robert Beaty Historic Street Tour BILLY WARD

3. George S. Houston Historic Street Tour REBEKAH DAVIS

4. Athens Veterans Museum

5. Athens Cemetery JIMMY HILL OR WM PEPPER

6. Historic Downtown Athens BUZZ ESTES 

At 10:00AM everyone gathered in front of the Visitor for a group picture, then we disbursed into groups and began our tour. 

I chose the Robert Beaty Historic District Street Walking tour, led by Billy Ward. Mr. Ward was dressed like a southern gentleman, he was wearing a top hat, tailored a suit, and carrying a cane.

We saw many Azaleas, dogwood trees, and other blooming bushes as we walked along the sidewalk, stopping to listen to Mr. Ward tell us interesting stories about the many historic homes. 

Historic Home 

Historic Home in Beaty District 

The Robert Beaty Historic District is located in Athens, Alabama. Beaty was one of the original founders of Athens. Beaty was an Irish immigrant who first settled in Virginia.

Beaty purchased about 160 acres around a spring. Beaty’s Federal-style home was completed in 1826. The District contains several homes in the Federal, Greek Revival, Italianate, Eastlake, Victorian, and Spanish Colonial Revival Styles. 

1984 the district was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. 

Our last stop was the historic home of Billy Ward.
Billy invited everyone into his historic home, and we walked through the ground-level rooms. 

I walked back to the Visitor Center stopping at Creek at Big Spring Park to take pictures of the goldfish and ducks. 

Ducks at Big Spring Park Athens

Ate a side salad from Zaxby’s for lunch before driving home

On April 8, Saturday, I drove to the Visitor Center in Athens to join them on a Walking Tour.

There were sign-up sheets for the following tours. 

1. Athens University Historic Tour WITH ANNA GIBBS

2. Robert Beaty Historic Street Tour BILLY WARD

3. George S. Houston Historic Street Tour REBEKAH DAVIS

4. Athens Veterans Museum

5. Athens Cemetery JIMMY HILL OR WM PEPPER

6. Historic Downtown Athens BUZZ ESTES 

First Christian Church where we parked

Visitor Center Group that toured different sites

At 10:00AM everyone gathered in front of the Visitor for a group picture, then we disbursed into groups and began our tour. 

This time I chose the George S. Houston Historic Street Tour led by Rebekah Davis and my husband came with me.

This time we had to take the car and park in the parking lot across the street from the First Christian Church.

Luke Pryor Historic Home 

 Historic Home

George S. Houston Memorial Public Library & Limestone County Museum Historical Society. 

Inside the Houston Library, we saw a 1944 Certificate of Restoration and appraisal pump organ and melodions, six quilts, a wooden round table, five velvet seat-covered chairs, a green sofa, a fireplace with a white mantle around it, a spinning wheel, several wooden chairs, and rockers, a picture of Robert E Lee, a Goth bust pano with music book Constancy Romance for Piano by Wm Fink with Mary E Mason dated Nov 21, 1898, written on the top of the book, boxes on top of boxes of book, walls badly in need of repairs and two sets of staircases. 
The house/library was a white two-story home with four large wooden columns, green shutters, and a triangle roof that covered the balcony and porch. 
Azaleas and shrubs lined the sidewalk leading up to the front door.
The yard was full of blooming dogwood trees, and magnolia trees 

The George S. Houston Historic District lies to the West and north of the public square where some of Athens's most prominent people lived.

Some of the historic homes that we saw were Hendricks, Bailey Hamilton Home 1919, Luke Pryer Home, Gibes, Powers, Christopher Home 1920, Hayden, Boston Home, Caughran, McCormick, Patton 1935, Stanford, Lauderdale 1969, Tilman Jeffery ca 1913, Martin Malone Johnson #13 1821 home, & Hendrix, Alexander 1937

Only five homes are remaining from the antebellum period. Between 1908 and 1939, such as the American Four Squares, bungalows, cottages, some Tudor Revival, and some Colonial Revival. The Neoclassical style First Methodist Church was built in 1925 and a hospital was built but later turned into apartments. 

This district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.

Governor George S Houston's Home Marker 

Governor George S Houston's Home Marker 

George S. Houston/Home/The Houston Memorial Library

This house was purchased by George S. Houston in 1845 and was his home until his death here on 31st December 1879. Houston served the people of Alabama in public office for thirty-six years. His long and distinguished political career began in 1832 and included; one term in the Alabama State Legislature, three terms as circuit solicitor, nine terms in the U. S. House of Representatives, two terms as Governor of Alabama, and he was twice elected to the U. S. Senate. Due to his conservative fiscal policies while in Congress, he was known as "The Watchdog of the Treasury".

Houston's most notable service to Alabama was during his two terms as governor. For almost a decade after the Civil War, the people of Alabama suffered under the rule of Radical Reconstructionists.

(Back):
In 1874 the white citizens of Alabama united behind Houston in his bid for the governor's office. His election as a Democrat returned self-rule to Alabama. During his two terms, the state's huge debt was reduced, property owners were protected from excessive taxation, and many other reforms were enacted that brought stability to the state.

After Houston's death, his home was occupied only occasionally until 1937 when it was deeded to the City of Athens with some stipulations, one of which was that it should house a library and meeting place for literary and patriotic societies and should be known as "The Houston Memorial Library".

Our next stop is CE Pools, The first weekend in April every year they have a grand opening where they grill hamburgers, chicken, and Hotdogs and Sue cooks her famous banana pudding and Butterfinger cake for their customers.

We stopped for a hamburger, coke, and pie.

Our next stop was the 7th Annual Car, Truck, Tractor, and Cycle Show at TM Rogers High School. 

Car Show TM Rogers

Our last stop was to attend the funeral of my brother-in-law. I cannot say enough good things about him. He was known and loved by many, and he gave of his time and money. He will be greatly missed. 

We picked up dinner at Taco Bell (my husband) and Captain D’s (shrimp for me).

It had been a long day and we both just wanted to relax. 

I hope to add three more April tours to this blog. 

2016 October 22, Saturday, Memosa Cemetery Stroll Lawrenceburg, Tn

The Lawrence County Public Library sponsored a Cemetery Stroll at the Mimosa Cemetery.

Many people gathered to hear the stories of people buried here and people that should have been buried here.
Our speaker was wearing wireless headphones with a wireless transmitter and receiver (so everyone could hear him) and he was carrying a Sealtest Crate to stand on(so everyone could see him).

Before we began our stroll the speaker told the founding story of Mimosa.
The speaker said Mimosa was formed because no one knew who was buried in the city cemetery.
The city needed a cemetery with the order.

Everyone followed the speaker into the cemetery.
Our first stop was at Mayor James D. Vaughn 1864-1941 founder of Southern Gospel Music

James D. Vaughn 1864-1941

Annie Green Kirk 1832-1910- her husband fought in the Civil War and was killed by Union soldiers after the war.

The gravesite of Annie Kirk. Her husband was killed by Union Soldiers

Senator Fred Thompson 1942-2015- Senator, Actor, born in Colbert County, Alabama at Keller Hospital and lived and is buried in Lawrenceburg. TN.

The group gathered near Fred Thompson's grave He has no marker yet!

Nettie Stewart 1874-1922

 Nettie's family was all dead when she was found in a Nashville Hotel.
Nettie was a dreamer, and she foretold her own death.
She was found lying on the floor of her apartment clothesless. In her room was a trunk full of her dream journals. She was brought back to Lawrenceburg and buried with her family in Mimosa Cemetery.

Nettie Stewart the dreamer

Captain William J. Gilbreth -Served in the Spanish America War
1864-1934. He lost a daughter while he was in the war and never got over the loss. He became a nonbeliever.

William Gilbreth a nonbeliever after the loss of a child

Mayor James W. Garrett won the election by one vote.
1859-1929. There were tornado warnings during the election.

Private Elliott Crews  1894-1918 About a young man's life cut short in World War I.

Half logs mean life is cut short. Crews KIA

John B. Kennedy 1841-1913- A Civil War Soldier and College man.

John B. Kenned is a college graduate. 

James H. Stribling 1863-1951- Mr. Stribling lost a daughter, she was age 5.
Mr. Stribling was comforted by a Christian man David Lipscomb and because of him, Mr. Stribling became a Christian.
Mr. Stribling built a school for the children of Lawrenceburg with his own money, with one stipulation, that it have a bible class.

Stribling Family.  Stribling five-year-old daughter is the middle tombstone

Everyone has a story whether dead or alive. Whether great or small.
I encourage everyone to visit a cemetery and learn more about the people that are buried there.
You might find someone you know or a relative.
I have many journals and hope someday, someone will read my stories.

Little Spooners

Norman Rockwell the Little Spooner or Sunset was my inspiration to write a story.

Two best friends sitting on a bench looking at the moon recalling their friendship.

Drugged by medication my mind drifts back in time to my youth.

I see myself and my best friend sitting on that old wooden bench which I am sure has long decayed like my youth has faded with old age.

A tiny tear trickles down my cheeks as I remember the crystal blue waters of

the lake and me sitting next to my best friend with his arms caressed with mine as he snuggles close to me.

I lay here in this dark cold room on a bed not my own, looking at the face of the clock hanging on the wall.

I am sure that the clock could tell many stories as he looks at me.

I can see my life in the clocks face just ticking away.

I wish it would stop and smile at me but it just keeps on ticking.

When I was young, I never thought much about time or a clock because all my time was spent with my best friend.

Our love and friendship were timeless.

We shared that same love with Spot.

We found Spot when he was just a pup.

His mother had died during birthing her pups.

The owner had taken the mother and her pups into the woods to leave them to die.

We found the mother and six little pups all dead except one.

We buried all of them and nursed the living pup back to health.

We gave the tiny pup the name of Spot because her coat was spotted with black, brown, white, and red fur.

We shared the love of Spot but Spot lived at my house.

Wherever we went he was there trotting along behind us.

Spot was a shorthaired Beagle.

His ears, head, and back were black and brown, his legs and part of his back and between his eyes were white.

He had beautiful big brown eyes and around his eyes were patches of red fur.

My mind now drifts to our fishing hole and how Spot responded when we would catch fish.

Spot would let us know by barking, that he was ready for dinner for he loved to eat fish but it had to be cooked. 

Sometime we would build a campfire and bake the fish just for Spot.

Sometimes I could see and feel Spot on the bed next to me. I would reach over to stroke Spot’s back but I soon realize that it was just a dream.

It is good to dream it gives us hope of a better day so we can forget about the aches and pains of old age.

My best friend and I built the old wooden bench that we sat on when we were just spooners.

We cut two young saplings for the bench legs and dug two very deep holes to place them in.

We had brought a wooden plank from home to make the seat. The plank was unfinished so we would have to be careful not to get splinters.

It was called our Little Spooner Seat.

We had borrowed a shovel, saw, hammer, nails, and a hoe from my dad’s barn to make the bench.

We had to remember to return the tools or my dad would have had a cow.

It took us all day to cut down the two saplings, dig the two holes, and put together the bench.

We did not mind and time didn’t matter.

We would sit in our special Spooner place and watch the sunset even Spot was silent at this time.

The love we had for each other was eternal and we shared this love with Spot.

Spot lived over fifteen years and it was a sad day we had to put him in the ground as if part of our hearts died that day.

It has been many years since I heard Spot barking.

Thinking back to when I was a girl of thirteen that is when we found Spot.

My best friend and I went to college in our hometown.

It took me four years to become a registered nurse.

My best friend wanted to be a Veterinarian so he had to leave town to attend college for a few years.

We married soon after he returned home but never had any children.

My best friend treated many animals and I was always at his side.

I had trained to be a nurse but went to work for my husband for we both love animals.

Spot had a special place in our hearts because he had been our first pet together.

We tried for many years to have children but finally gave up.

I guess it was just not meant for us to have any children.

We would have had beautiful children for both of us were of Irish descent.

I always had long flowing red hair that I kept platted with a ribbon tied at the end.

I was a tall lanky girl with a freckled face.

My Spooner was a handsome man he had short red hair, a freckled face, and long legs.

He had to wear suspenders to hold up his pants because he had a skinny waist.

If he bought his pants, long enough they were too big in the waist.

I dearly loved my Spooner.

I traveled with my husband to help him take care of other people’s animals and we were both too busy to have any animals of our own.

We both volunteered at the animal shelter helping take care of the unwanted animals.

One summer we volunteered to go to South Africa to help set up a veterinarian clinic and to train the people there on how to care for the wounded animals until a Veterinarian could come and take our place.

I will never forget that adventure.

We had an alligator that had swallowed a log, it was hung in his throat, and we had to remove it. That was a trip.

We had a lion that had been attacked by another lion and left to die.

We nursed him back to life.

We had a giraffe get his neck stuck in the top of a tree.

We had a rhino get stuck in the mud and it took a huge truck to pull him out.

All those memories soon began to fade as I fell into a deep sleep.

My mind seems to come, & go some days life seems so real, and other days like a dream.

Sadly, I no longer have my pet Spot or my best friend who was the love of my life for both left this world many years ago.

I never thought I would outlive my best friend but here I lay in this bed all alone with just my memories and some days no memories at all.

Growing old is not so bad but I sure would be nice to have my best friend at my side.

Little Spooners

Being someone’s first love may be great, but to be their last is beyond perfect.