NOT MUCH TO SAY - BUT HERE GOES

Today I promised myself that I would write on this Blog but my creative juices are not cooperating so I have no idea how this will turn out.  When I first started writing my thoughts in this manner it was strictly to act as a journal so that I would have the capacity to look back and see when something occurred or what was going on in the family during a certain period.  Then it got to be more than just jotting down incidents and became something that has helped other people, not just family members to keep up with my family.  I am proud that some of my friends find it interesting and, sometimes very amusing. 

Without looking back, I know that it has been several weeks since I wrote so obviously nothing exceptional has been going on in my life.  However, today being the last day in the month of July I can readily realize that summer is going into the "dog days" and I am wondering, like a lot of people have expressed to me, where did the summer go?  It was the first of June with schools being out and picnics and outings being planned and now school is starting and thoughts are keying in on football games and other fall outings.  I know that we still have August to contend with and it will get hot and humid and I will be complaining like the rest of the world but right now - this day - the high temperature is only going to be 82 and the sun has just come out after a night and morning of rain. 

I have had, mostly, a leisurely, quiet time this summer.  I made two trips to Cross Plains, TN - one with Bobbie Wiseman and Sara and one with just Sara, where we had lunch at Thomas Drugs and shopped in the cute little shops that surround the drug store.  I love the drug store.  It has the old fashioned soda fountain and you can get the best chocolate milk shake and chicken salad sandwich in the whole world.  The store, itself, is a delight to explore with the big tin wash tubs, antique books and other things and then in the back of the store you will find a modern day pharmacy.  The drive down there (or up there) is so beautiful if you don't go on the interstate and drive the country roads. 

My friend, Barbara Lutz celebrated her 80th birthday on the  19th of July.  Her family (all but three grandchildren who were out of town and one son that was playing golf) met at Nukes for a delicious supper.  Mary Jane Haynie, who is a friend of Barbara's from childhood, and I were the only "outsiders".  After our meal we went to Cheekwood Botanical Gardens to enjoy a spectacular display of lights.  20,000 lights covered the grounds of this magnificent mansion.  Barbara, Mary Jane and I were not able to walk the entire exhibit so we rode in a cart and "oohed and ahhed" all the way.  It was a great way to celebrate a dear friend's special day. 

Courtney returned from Australia on the 21st and she came to my place for lunch on the 23rd and gave me a wonderful recount of her trip plus many pictures that she explained in detail for me.  What a wonderful trip she had and what memories she made.  Can you imagine snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef?  That is something that you read about but never experience in reality.  Well, she can boast that she did it.

Yesterday, I had lunch with Bill Lee.  Now that I don't drive and can't meet him half-way from Franklin, he has to come here and we ate at Mimi's Cafe here in Hendersonville.  We sat there and visited for over an hour.  He shared stories of his children, one of which is getting married soon, and he told of his one little grandchild and how crazy he is about him.  He talked some about Lee Company because he knows that, even though most of my co-workers have retired, I still have some dear friends that work there.  Of course, we talked about his father, Wallace Lee, who was my boss but also my friend, and is now deceased. I told Bill that it is hard for me to imagine a world without Wallace Lee.  He was one person that I could converse with on any subject and enjoy it, even if we disagreed.  Friends like that are few and far between.  I miss him terribly. When I join him in Heaven we can pick up where we left off and I am looking forward to that. 

Kim, Mikka, Joesea and John Patrick came up the other day and we went to the pool for a few hours of swimming and sunning.  It was a bit cool but still fun and enjoyed it as much as the children did.  On the 25th of this month Joesea's adoption was made final and now she is legally Joesea Kathleen Evans.  She makes my count of great-grandchildren 19.  When the baby is born in November to Chris and Ashley I will then have 20 great-grandchildren.  Billy and I had no idea what a dynasty we started.  He would love all of these children and be so proud of them, just as I am.

Well, I have fulfilled my promise to myself by writing on this Blog today.  It hasn't been easy because my life has been so mundane and yet I do enjoy my quiet, easy life that I am living these days. I used to be so busy and each day I had something that I had to do - or meetings to attend or something and now I am living a much slower version.  I do keep busy reading, scrap booking, talking to friends on the phone, working with the East High Alumni Board and always my Church and bible classes.  I will never be content to just sit and watch TV and do nothing.  Walking Houston twice a day keeps me moving and exercising.  All in all I must say that I am trying to be like Paul in Philippians 4:11 when he said "I have learned the secret of being content in any and all situations".  Sometimes that is not easy but I am doing okay because God is good all the time.

SO MUCH TO CATCH UP ON

Well, without my computer I was lost for a while. The technician at  Staples was very informative in explaining my problems but the only thing I really understood was when he said I owed $150.00.  Anyway, I have it back now and it is really doing well.  I will try my best to reconstruct my life since June 19th. 

Actually, there really hasn't been that much going on in my life to get all excited about.  The rain and the hot weather has prevented me from being outside a whole lot.  I walk Houston early and late each day but the humidity makes my breathing shallow and causes me to use the oxygen more than usual.  I am so glad that I do have that oxygen when I do need it, but it causes me sorrow that I have to depend on other means of breathing easily.  However, my doctor told me just last week that I was doing so well that I do not need to see him until January of next year.  How about that?  Pretty good I think. 

The East High Alumni Board met the first of July and we elected new officers.  My friend, Pat Johnson, was elected President and that made me very happy.  In fact, I was pleased with the entire slate of officers.  They were installed and after the meeting we had a reception to honor the incoming and outgoing officers.  We are deep into plans for the All-Classes Reunion which will be held on September 28th.  The Golf Tournament will be the day before and it is causing much distress for the committee because at this time only one team has sent money and signed up.  Also, not many people have registered for the reunion.  I tried to tell the chairmen that they should not get too upset because it has always been the practice in the past that most registrations are received two or three weeks prior to the function.  The entire event is being held at East High School and ends around 2:30 or 3:00pm that afternoon.  There is supposed to be a Sock Hop downtown at some club that is owned by a new board member but, since I have no interest in it, I don't know much about it.  I am working to get some hole sponsors for the golf tournament and I am supposed to decorate for the reunion but that is all of my obligation.  I'm sure we will have lots of meetings, discussions and planning sessions between now and September.

July 4th was a disappointment for a lot of people who had outdoor plans because it stormed like crazy the day before, the day of, and the day after.  So many things had to be cancelled.  It was possible, however, to have the fireworks downtown and some of the concerts at Riverfront Park but many things were called off.  It did not matter to my family because Corinne, Mark, Jacque, Wayne, Paul, Sara and I went to Nita and Ray's house for hamburgers, hot dogs, all the side dishes and homemade ice cream and cookies.  We didn't have any children because they were all in Florida so having an adult party with adult conversation was quite a novelty.  We certainly did miss Kim and Brad.  Kim had surgery on July 2nd to remove a small place on the back of her tongue.  We, of course, were quite concerned and were so happy when the doctor called a few days after the surgery to tell her that it was benign - no cancer.  What a blessing.  She has been very weak and has felt very bad since the surgery.  Her throat is so sore and her body aches from the position that she was in on the operating table during the surgery.  I spoke with her this morning and she said that she felt better than she had in quite some time.  Naturally, this made me feel happy and, in fact, made my day. 

I am anxiously awaiting the arrival home of my granddaughter, Courtney.  She has been in Australia for several weeks and will return to Nashville on the 21st of this month.  What a glowing account of the trip she has sent to us from Brisbane.  She was with a group (I'm not sure how many students) and two professors from U.T. Knoxville.  They are all studying Marketing/Advertising and they stayed in a domitory and went to classes Monday-Friday.  Then on the week-ends they traveled to beaches and points of interest.  The cutest picture I saw was of Courtney patting a kangaroo, but she has sent many pictures and e-mails and messages since she has been away.  It was difficult to find the technical hook-ups to communicate but she did the best she could.  Now she is in Sydney and the last I heard she had been to the fabulous opera house and was visiting an art museum.  I am so proud of her and just can't wait to sit with her, looking at her pictures and listening to her dialogue.  She even sounds more mature in her writings so I guess the old adage that "travel broadens and matures" must be true. 

Yesterday was a lovely day for me.  After Sunday School, Church, and lunch I was invited to go with Nita and Ray to Emily's house for Ray's birthday celebration.  They were at the neighborhood swimming pool which was a lovely place - olympic size pool, playground, picnic tables with umbrellas and comfortable chairs to sit around and watch the children swim.  Drew, Tara and their children; Emily, Jackson and their children were there so we had a lot of children to keep up with.  We had pizza for our supper and then went to Emily and Jackson's home for homemade icecream and chocolate cake.  It was a wonderful day and I was so happy to get to see my grandchildren and my great-grandchildren.  It seems like those little ones are growing up so fast. 

Today has been a quiet day.  It is extremely hot and humid so I have been inside the cool apartment.  There is no telling what my electric bill will be this month because I have used my air conditioner continuously.  I find that I must have no humidity and the apartment must be kept cool - even if I have to put on a sweater.  The TV today said this week would be in the 90's all week and "old people and animals should stay inside and be very careful when they go outside".  I'm taking them at their word.  They predict rain showers every day but so far we haven't had any.  Yesterday going from the pool to the house it sprinkled a bit and then as if to say "look how much God loves you" there appeard the most beautiful rainbow.  I mean it stretched all across the sky and was several colors.  It was a beautiful sight to behold.  Just another evidence that God is good - all the time.