Aunt Callie Lockard Harper August 31, 2010

Aunt Callie, Grandpa Lockard's sister. She must have lived in St. Louis.
You have every reason to be happy about everything today. Way to go! To lose that much in one week and not be on a diet. That is so great! I know time goes by so fast. I thought if I could only have a few more hours a day, then I could get everything done.
Coming back from overseas, I had a few more hours over the 24, I was exhausted.
I now found out that we are having company from Thursday through Monday. I haven't cleaned house in awhile, since i was not having company before. Now I am trying to get it done quickly. And I only have one more day. It is Bud's brother from Maryland and maybe his son from 29 Palms. Bud's brother is a neat freak. I wish I had your clean house!
I am dropping my class from the college. Too much has been going on for me to read the book, much less study it. Time keeps going by faster and faster. Tomorrow is exercise day and I haven't been doing anything. I really need to get my knees back in shape. I think I will go to bed early tonight.

John Griggs August 28, 2010

Grandpa Gibbs cousin. I don't know when it was made. He is pretty good looking!
Now to living in this age, no, I don't have free text messaging on my phone. Anyway , I don't know how to spell that bad!!
I am glad this new diet is working for you. I have always thought you should eat when you are hungry. Other people have different ideals an when you are eating out, it doesn't work but when things get back to normal, I would like to try it.
This week has been bad. Not so much in eating, but I am exhausted. When you are dealing with someone dying, you feel like dying yourself. Bud's sister died this afternoon at 2:00 this afternoon. Her son had no family around but us and Bud is not good at being around. So it was me! We stayed in Woodland for a few nights, before that we were driving back and forth. It was hard, she weighed 79 pounds a few days before death. She was a week without food and water. She really didn't want it. I just need sleep from being up with her to all kinds of hours. I am glad to be home.
Live in the moment!

fig smack August 25, 2010

I went to a cooking class tonight. It was really great. She and her friend wrote a cook book using foods that are home grown. This is figs with goat cheese on top. Then she drizzled honey on that. Too me that was too sweet, someone said they drizzled a vignerete on it. I thought it would be bite size snacks at a party.
A busy day tomorrow. We will probalby be in Woodland for the next 2 nights. i have class tomorrow morning and Bud has a doctor's appointment.

First car in Cardwell August 24,2010

I don't know when this car came to Cardwell and it doesn't look like Cardwell. Maybe a model picture. I think I will send a picture to Ellene and see what she thinks.
Life has been crazy around here. Bud went to his sister on Saturday and a 911 call was put in on her. She has pnuemonia and severe dehydration. That night, we got a call that she might not last more than a couple of hours.We left everything we were doing and sat up with her all night at the hospital. Her sister and niece came from Seattle and her grandson came from San Diego. We went home at 5:30 Sunday morning and got a few hours sleep, then back to Woodland hospital. This time we got a hotel room at the last minute. Not thinking we didn't take extra clothes, medicine or anything. We got home Monday afternoon. We had things that had to be done today and tomorrow and then if she is still alive, we will go Thursday and Friday. Not only have I not been eating right, I haven't been doing exercises for my knee.
On Monday night that our friend's grandaughter was killed in a car accident. She was 21. She has done some hiking with us before and been over here for dinner. Such a tragedy!
Good news is that you have started your diet. What a diet!! Enjoy!

Garden Frog August 21, 2010

Don't I wish! Instead of beautiful, I think it made me look like the frog!. It should make me healthier. Instead, I ate ice cream that wasn't low fat and I suffered with a terrible stomach ache yesterday and last night. I had oat meal a little while ago and I think it went down o.k. I think I must be getting a message. EAT RIGHT OR YOU WILL PAY FOR IT! O.k. back to trying to eat better.
Bud went to his sister in Woodland. I thought I shouldn't go, if I did have a bug, I wouldn't want to give it to people in the nursing home. He just called and said they just called 911 on his sister. They took her to the hospital and think she has pneumonia. She is 5.6 feet tall and only weighs 92-95 pounds. She doesn't have much reserve to fight infections.
I am waiting for your article on Family History Knowledge.

My friend gave me the frog. She found it on one of her trips and it was on sale. She said she couldn't pass it up.
Hope you are having a good day.

Young turkeys by the pool August 19, 2010

A large family of turkeys comes through the yard off and on. They usually move on to the next yard and keep going to somewhere.
Happy Birthday to Aunt Velma. Mother would always say today is Sis' birthday, just like she was in our immediate family. The two of them were very close to be so different. What do you think about going to Paragould next year for a sisters trip? Then we can go to the Lesters, get our hands on the pictures, copy them and give them back. What might be better, see if Janet, Richard and Harold would like to join us to have a family reunion.
I have to go to bridge tonight. It is pretty close to here so I don't have to leave so soon. But I do need to get ready. Your week of lectures sounds great. The lady you wrote about did something that I could never do. I would be so overwhelmed.

onion August 17, 2010

One of the onions from the garden. I thought it was artistic. I often see things and enjoy things that other people don't.
This has been a very interesting day. The phone rang before 7:00 this morning. I got to bed late as usual and I was still asleep even though I am usually up by 7:00. It was Ellene. I think I told you that I wrote to her and Janet and asked for scans of pictures and more information. Ellene called to talk and give me all her information. I told her that I needed to be somewhere in a hour but I had 10-15 minutes and perhaps we could do this in several short talks or better yet, just write it out and send it all to me at once. She said her arthritis was so bad, she couldn't write any more. When I wrote to her, I wrote on one of the cards that I got in Utah by Robert Duncan. She loved the card that I sent her of the little girl with the fish. I said "fish?" Norma must have sent that. After talking for awhile it dawned on me, the little girl with the cows. That was my main memory of the card but then it dawned on me, yes I did remember the fish and fishing pole. She loved it and wanted to get those cards. I told her who the artist was and I got them in Utah. I didn't think that I had seen them out here but I would look on the internet. She said the I could probably find out more about the Vaughn family from Amy Vaughn. Amy is Janet's age and married to Gerald Vaughn. I just got through looking up Gerald Vaughn on Google and I found him. He died on August 3, 2 weeks ago at the Senath nursing home. I am glad that I didn't call. They couldn't scann any pictures because they got rid of everything at the house in Cardwell. I said "not the pictures!" She said one of the Lester's took the box of pictures out of the dresser and has them there. I don't know if we will ever see them.
This afternoon Janet called me and she had this old book that was about to come apart. She wanted my email address. She was going to scan some of it and I sent you what she sent me so far. She said there are some other things in a box, she would try to get to it later.
I know you are having a good week and learning lots of things. Are you celebrating Traci's birthday this week?
This is a long blog. I was going to stop at 11:00 and watch the news. I will probably sleep better without seeing the news.
Have a good night.

2 frogs in a pot August 9,2010

I did some transplanting today. Some of my pots have a place at the bottom where you can have water in. We have these tiny tree frogs and they like to be up in top of the doors or down in pots with water. These 2 stuck their heads out after I changed plants in the pots. Cute but they can be so loud at night.
Our friend from ST. Louis died today. He was visiting his sister in California and fell. He had a brain hemorrhage. He lived 10 days with all kinds of complications and I'm not sure if he was aware of what was going on. Life can be so short, no matter what your age. Especially if death comes so sudden and you live right. It seems like you should have a phasing out, not just a sudden GONE! His daughter is a veterinarian. She came out from Missouri and knew the medical terminology. She journaled what was going on every night and sent out to friends and family. One night she commented on to be sure and say"I love you" or words to that effect. After that, she always closed her journal with remember to say the words and have a good night.
I hope you had a good session at your conference/seminar. Did Dioni go this year also?
I love you. I am glad you are my sister. Have a good night.

Buddy August 15, 2010

I wonder if Buddy had hearing problems then.
We made the fast trip down to Fresno. We got to visit with some friends before the memorial services. We got to see one of Bud's cousin from the mountains and we hadn't seen her in a long time, and then visited with his cousin of whose husband died. We checked into our hotel around 1:00 , right off the freeway so I didn't know how good it would be. We were upgraded to a suite and didn't hear any noise. It was great, wish we would have had more time. We got back home the next day about noon and everyone came over about 4:00 for barbecue, swim and celebrate Marisa's birthday. I was tired! Then I got calls about a few little problems at the community garden. I am home now with a big glass of ice water. And much more relaxed.

Grandpa Gibbs at age 23 August 12, 2010

Grandpa Gibbs was a handsome man. I can see mother in him also. I have a letter written to Janet and Ellene to help us out on the Vaughn side of the family. I hope I think to mail it tomorrow. We have a 3 1/2-4 hour tomorrow to go to Fresno. We will visit friends then got to the funeral. Up early the next day and come back. Today I took Marisa out for her birthday dinner, shopping and then pictures. I put some of her pictures on face book.
Another early day tomorrow and a late day today.

Grandma Gibbs August 11, 2010

Grandma Gibbs, I wonder how old she was . She is very pretty. Mother looks like her some. It is a shame we couldn't have known them when they were younger as well as older.
Tomorrow is my art group, then taking Marisa to dinner, shopping and doing her birthday pictures.I am going to do more pictures of her through the next few months for her senior pictures. I remember doing pictures for Traci for her senior pictures. It doesn't seem that long ago. Traci has a birthday coming up in about a week.
I had a meeting at church tonight , so I worked in the garden before and after. We are having severe critter problems and I still have way too many tomatoes! I gave tomatoes away to 3 different people and still have too many. Not complaining though.
I have to take a shower and go to bed. No sweets so far!

Aunt Velma at age 14 August 10,2010

Aunt Velma at age 14. How old was she when she got married? Everyone has been dressed so nicely in these pictures.
Today we talked about Apple Cider Vinegar in Nutrition. Norma had a booklet on all the wonders that this vinegar could do. I used the clear vinegar, this article says it has to be unfiltered, raw and brown. I was going to make you and Norma copies but I forgot to do it before I left. Maybe tomorrow!!
Instead of anything sweet. I made us a smoothie with natural sweetness. Today is almost over, so maybe I will make it through today without any added sugars. I have also read that sugar can make your joints hurt.
It is almost 10:00. I can watch the news, do my exercises, take my shower and go to bed.

Aunt Velma 10 years old August 9,2010

Aunt Velma makes me think of Norma in some of her earlier years.
It is late again and I didn't get much sleep last night. We just found out Bud's cousin's husband's funeral is going to be on Friday evening in Fresno. That is about 3.5 hours away. We have been thinking about going. We are having the family over on Saturday evening to celebrate Marisa's birthday and Kindra going back to school in Monterey. I am in charge of the community garden and one of the women gardener is going to give a 2 hour presentation from 8:00-10:00 am. I should be there in case no one else gets up early enough to go. I also would like to be there and I am not that close to Bud's cousin. I made our hotel reservations knowing that I can cancel.

Decisions! Decisions! Decisions!

Mother 12 years old and Aunt Velma 10 yeqrs old August 8, 2010

The last of the new pictures that I found of mother.
I think we have been on the same wavelength. Yesterday I was thinking about next year's calendar. I didn't come up with anything. But your idea is a good one! I think I will use old ones. I know some of these won't enlarge too big but a few on one page will still be good. It also made me think of Ellene. She has so many old pictures. If I could get those scanned (surely one of her grand kids could do that) and sent to me. That would be wonderful. I have doubts that it will happen though. I wish South West went to South Carolina, I would plan a trip there. It is so expensive with other airlines SO I think a phone call or a letter will be the next best thing.
Do you know where lots of my time goes? It is things like the above. My brain goes into daydreaming and think about things without doing anything for awhile. Also the rest of the time go's where ever, who knows. Oh well this is Sunday. Maybe tomorrow I will work on organization.

Mother 14 and Buddy 3 August 7, 2010

This is the picture that I thought looked like April ( Greg's daughter) but it still looks like mother. There is another hand on the other side. Must have been Aunt Velma. I got a lot done today. Throwing out lots of negatives takes lots of time, and it doesn't show. Now I have to go through the old business receipts and shred those from 1985 to at least 2000. Doesn't sound like much fun!
How long will Laska's family be there? I know they won't worry too much knowing you are close by.
Time to start dinner.

mother as a 12 year old August 6, 2010

Another picture of mother in her childhood. I had this blog all finished and tried to edit, then I lost it. I am going to The Gathering Inn to help serve dinner for the homeless. I wanted to get this blog done before I left. Since I lost it once and I have now run out of time, I am going to send it and leave.

Mother as a baby August 5, 2010

It was such a treasure to find these old pictures. They had been a part of an album that Aunt Velma had given me some time ago. I took it apart and had given everyone pictures that pertained to them. This was with my darkroom stuff to copy. I guess I got busy and eventually forgot it. I will send more in other blogs.
I hope you are feeling better now. I think you work too hard. You need to find time to rest. On that thought, I think I will go to bed and get my rest.

Harvest August 3, 2010

Manuel and part of his veggies from the community garden. I think he is going to be busy making salsa. I had a meeting tonight with 2 people from the church near us. They are putting in a garden also. It will be more commercial with a garden manager. Our garden is more for the community where the gardeners are encouraged to give excess to the food bank but they are growing more for their needs.
There was an interesting article in the paper this morning. It is "WISE WORDS ABOUT...WISDOM"
Here is one for today. "A man begins cutting his wisdom teeth the first time he bites off more than he can chew." Herb Caen, columnist

Bear and Bicycle August 1, 2010

Can you believe it is August? Where does the time go?? I think I ask that every day! Another day and another and another. Tomorrow is my appointment with the oncologist and the physical therapist. My bad knee is getting better and my good knee is getting bad. I still have lots of problems getting up and down.
The bear and bicycle was at a restaurant near our hotel last week. This is at the University of Ca at Davis. The campus is known for its use of bicycles. They are everywhere.