Mom's Story - Installment #17

Well, I haven't posted anything for a couple weeks now. Sorry about that! Last week I was sick and didn't do ANYTHING for a few days. Thankfully, I'm back among the living and about over the cold, snotty nose, croupy cough, etc., etc.

And then last Friday afternoon our pastor's dad died suddenly. He and Bill were pretty good friends and it really hit him hard. We went over to see the family Sunday after church, and then the funeral was this past Wednesday. They lived over in Arkansas just across the Oklahoma line, so it was a good hour's drive from here. They had 12 children, so there was a lot of family at the funeral. It was a very different kind of service, but Ed's dad was a very unique person, and the service suited him perfectly. The sons and grandsons had gotten busy and built his casket out of red cedar planks he had in his workshop. It was all a real labor of love.

So, things have been a little crazy the past couple weeks. School started here yesterday, so now things will get back on schedule somewhat. Hope you enjoy this next part of Mom's story.

Joan

On the first of May, 2005, Joan took me to Wisconsin to get more clothes. I had to sell the farm and move to Oklahoma for good. My back and legs hurt so much and I didn’t pick up my feet far enough so I stumbled over rocks and bumps. So from then on I was living with Joan. That Sunday, May 1^st., after lunch, we drove to Lebanon, MO. and had supper and slept in a Super 8. Had Chinese food at the restaurant across the street. We left in the morning after we had breakfast in the motel, and got to Rockford the middle of the afternoon, and then slept in Illinois. We got to Campbellsport Tuesday afternoon, went to the cemetery, got groceries, and started packing.

The phone didn’t work too good so Joan called Bill on cell phone. We went to the Baptist church on Sunday, Mother’s Day. I treated my family to dinner at the Campbellsport Inn. Greg and Dawn and girls came to dinner also. We had to wait so long to get served. Then we went to the farm to look things over and had Manwich for supper. Donna made a chocolate torte which was very good.

On Monday, May 9^th., 2005 we went to Maddie and Molly’s dance recital. They look like little movie stars. They did well and after the recital we went to see Greg & Dawn’s new place. They just bought it and weren’t moved in yet. It’s big and very nice. The kids have cats to play with.

Tuesday we packed and I went to the doctor and got my pills at the drug store. We kept packing, taking pictures down off the walls, and had lots of company to see our packed boxes. We sent several boxes with UPS.

On Thursday Wil came over and we washed our bedding and then left for Oklahoma at 11:00 AM. I gave Wil the garage door opener that was in my car. We got as far as Bloomington, IL, when the brake cylinder got hot. We had to be towed into a Ford garage for repairs. We stayed at a Super 8 and Friday noon the car was ready to go. It worked fine the rest of the way home.

We got to Oklahoma about 3:00 PM the next day. We were very tired. It took me a week to recuperate. Bill helped unload the car. He had sore knees but worked anyway. Joan made me return address stickers with my new address on them. I had to write lots of notes. By the 20^th. of May we were picking lots of strawberries to eat and freeze.

Donna and Helen Medinger held a big rummage sale up in the hay barn for all the stuff that wasn’t sold to the auction place in Waubeka. Some of the furniture was sold before we left for Oklahoma and the kids all came over and picked out what they wanted to have. The auction and the rummage sale both did real good.

Well, "that's all folks".