Mom's Story - Installment #16

Hello again,

Well, once again this week has flown by. It's a sure sign that you are getting old when yesterday was the 4th. of July and today it's the 22nd. already. I just don't think that we're having THAT much fun.

It's hot, hot, hot down here the past few days. It's always amazing as to how fast everything dries out and the ground starts cracking after just a couple weeks without any significant rain. Even my little zinnia beds were looking pretty dry so got some needed watering last night. And it goes without saying that the tomatoes are demanding water daily. But, they are producing, so we're eating fresh vine-ripened tomatoes every day for lunch and supper.


We closed on the sale of the 32 acres where we had the horses last year and got the hay a few cuttings. We are glad to be out from under that whole thing. Didn't need it in the first place, so were glad we found some young folks who did and do. They have 6 horses down there and are planning to build as soon as they get their house sold, so I think they will be fine neighbors. If we ever decide to quit riding horses, the 17 acres with the barn and pond will be up for sale as well, but we're still enjoying our equines.

Well, here's another piece of Mom's story. I hate to say it, but it's getting toward the end. I know there were so many more things that could have been included in this story, and perhaps with more time, she would have thought of some more stuff from her childhood and earlier years. But, I have what I have and that's all that there is, so that's what you're getting as well.

Hope you are still enjoying it.

****

Donna and Wil always drove us to Oklahoma & to Texas to see Joan and Bill Babcock till Les passed away in Jan. 2000. Joan was already home before he died and Bill drove up from Oklahoma as soon as he heard about Les’s passing. Joan stayed for a month to get paperwork done, and I came back with her and stayed till Palm Sunday in April 2000. Then she drove me home in the 1992 Mercury. Donna took her to the airport in Milwaukee and she flew back to Dallas.

I got two great grandchildren within 5 years, Maddie Helen Peterson and Molly Elizabeth Peterson, and they live in Sheboygan. Lots of parties those years. (Note: she had a great-grandson this past June, but unfortunately never got to know it. I know she would have been as thrilled as we all are.)

In February 2004, I had my left hip out in Mercy Bone Hospital in Oshkosh. Dr. O’Laughlin did this one. Was in the hospital four days and then went to rehab at Lomira Nursing Home for months. Donna and Wil had to take me to the doctor two times and I had lots of company while in Lomira.

After I went home in June, I had lots of hurts and tried lots of stuff but nothing helped. Ruth Weis did my cleaning.

In 2004, after Christmas Joan came up to Milwaukee on Dec. 29^th. and drove me back to Oklahoma, Jan. 2005, for the winter. It was a good trip. In April my legs were lame so it was decided I should not be by myself on the farm.

We went home in May and I came back to live here in Oklahoma with Joan and Bill. I like it here in winter. It’s spring all the time and I can’t expect Joan to come and get me again every fall. She gives piano lessons every day.

Bill gave Joan a surprise 60^th. birthday party at the Fellowship Hall at the church. A lot of people came. Bill bought cake and ice cream for 100 people. It was fun. Two days after the party, on Friday, Martin and Sylvia and Gary Adler came. We had a great visit and they left on Saturday at 11:00 AM. It was nice weather – 76 degrees.

The garden Bill fixed for me was coming up but it didn’t grow very fast. By the end of May the strawberries were ripe and Bill put netting over the patch to keep the crows from eating them and there are lots. We ate strawberries every day as much as we wanted and still had some for freezer jam. Delicious!!!

Well, that's it for this time.

JB