Mom's Story - Installment #15

My, my, my, my!!!! Where does the time go? It seems like just a day or two ago that I last posted another bit of Mom's story, and here it has been a week already. I really don't think that I've been that busy, but the days seem to fly by. It's gotten hot, but we've got a little rain along, so that helps.

We went riding this morning on an all-new spot. About a two hour ride I guess, and that was plenty. The sun was under clouds for most of the morning so that made it very pleasant. I wish I could tell you something hilarious that happened but nothing really did. The most excitement I had was when Blaze decided to jump a little ditch thing rather than wade through it like the lead horse did. I thought he'd just walk on through it as well, but, no, he decided that JUMPING over it was the way to go. Needless to say, I wasn't really expecting that so got a really good adjustment. Why pay a chiropractor when a horseback ride or two can do the same thing. I heard things crack in my neck that haven't cracked for a long time, but it feels really good, so I guess all is well.

One of the funniest things that happened was last week when Lacie was here. We went riding with a couple of our friends who gave us quite a trip. On the way back down the far side of the mountain, we came upon a black snake by the edge of the road. Tommy showed it to everyone and then proceeded to walk his horse right on top of it. It took off and then doubled back and wound right around Lacie's horse's left front leg. I don't even think she saw it, and I'm sure her horse didn't see it. He just walked right out of it. Good thing it wasn't a rattle snake or copper head. That's the first snake I've ever seen on the trail since we've been riding. This morning we came across two deer and two fawns so that was nice.

Well, here's some more of Mom's Story.

Enjoy.

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On Dec. 20^th., 1997, Joan and Donna gave me a surprise 80^th. birthday party at Bublitz restaurant in Lomira. Donna and Wil and Greg and Dawn and Connie and Les and I were all planning to go out for dinner for my birthday. When we got to the restaurant, they took us to the back room and there were a lot of the relatives and friends and neighbors all yelling “Surprise!!”

I couldn’t believe my eyes. My sister Jane and brother Herb and his wife were there, and Stan and Sharon, and lots of nieces and nephews and their families. And so many neighbors were there as well. It was really a shock.

I started walking through the guests hugging them and laughing, and all at once I came up one aisle and there was Joan with her video camera. I was SO surprised!!! I had no idea that she was going to be home. We had a really good meal, and the girls got me a cake, and give me a necklace with the number 80 in gold letters all embedded with diamonds. Bill and Joan’s son-in-law, Phillip Stone, made the necklace for me. It was really beautiful.

After we finished eating, Joan read a poem titled “Now That You’re 80”. and Donna and Connie sang “I Won’t Take Less Than Your Love”. Then Joan sang a song she’d written for me called “Out on Howard’s Farm”. She played it on her autoharp and Donna played her guitar. It was to the tune of “Out Behind the Barn”. It was funny. Jane even started dancing around the tables. That’s always been her song. And she sang another song with her autoharp called “Mother Is Special”. She had everyone crying.

I got some really nice gifts, and when Donna mailed out the invitations, she put a little note paper in each one asking them to write down something special they remembered about knowing me. There were lots of those little notes in the box. They made me cry. It was a really nice surprise party, and then Joan stayed up in Wisconsin through Christmas. Bill didn’t come along, so she drove up herself.

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Well, that's it for this time.
JB