Spelling Matters.

 Spelling Matters.

 

Our daddy had several sayings that stuck with us for life. One thing he said included the advice to never do a half-@ssed job. “If you are going to do something, do it right!” was his advice. So, when something hits me as “wrong” or sloppy, that makes me remember what he said. He attended school off and on down in Montague County where he would wave the school bus on past his grandparents’ farm if he had some cats to chase or things of that nature, but he was not ignorant despite his lack of enthusiasm for the classroom. He moved back to the Clay County farm with his parents after his folks left their jobs in Ft. Worth, so he attended school in Hurnville and then later in Petrolia. He rode his horse to school in both places. Now he would readily admit that our mom helped him pass the senior year there in Petrolia, but he still thought that his children should be educated beyond what he had learned. He and our mom read voraciously for their entire lives. In the last twenty years of their lives, they studied the Bible and learned everything that they could about what God expected of them. Some of the books that my brother has sent me are those that came from our parents’ bookcase including the last book about Revelation by M.R. DeHaan. Yes, they studied and they learned. Their example set a goal in our lives.

 

My neighbor made the comment that people make decisions quickly based on your personal presentation—your clothes, the way you walk or whether or not you smile, and your vocabulary. It always bothered my mother that my hair was totally unmanageable and stuck out in places no matter what she did or how it was cut. It never really bothered me until the day an electric worker yelled, “Little boy! Stay away from that wire!” My hair was up in a pony tail, so he could not know that he was yelling at a girl. Mom took me to get my hair cut for the first time in ever! Anyway, it never helped tame my hair no matter how it was cut. It finally dawned on me that how my hair looked was going to depend on the weather and not the amount of effort given to keep it in place. So, today it is long enough to put on top of my head or to pull it behind my head to hang in a pony tail out of my way. Once in a while the old woman gets disgusted and has it cut way back to almost “boy” cut so it’s easier to “wash and wear.” Then it takes about three years to grow it out again. Oh well.

 

Just returned from eating a late lunch with my friend Judie Brunson. We went to Cotton Patch and decided that next time we would just eat on the appetizers rather than try to have fried green tomatoes, deep fried mushrooms, PLUS the entrees. Her husband will be having the meatloaf meal tonight for his supper, and the old woman will have her meatloaf dinner tomorrow for lunch. That was just a lot of food! Both of us took home a piece of lemon icebox pie. Oh yes! Wonderful! That was definitely worth the trip! Plus, it was such a great time to visit with Judie!

 

When we came out of the restaurant, it was beginning to sprinkle. Apparently, it had already come down like a gully washer out here on Fenoglio Hill. My carport had standing water out under some of it. Here’s hoping that we really do meet the forecast for sunny weather tomorrow. Lance will be here to help me get a few things done. Poor kid never just has a visit. It is always to see what all can be accomplished from the “honey-do” list! He asked me this time what tools to bring. Smart kid!

 

Sterling was asking me about our great-great grandfather Camp and when he was born or when he died. According to one of the records Sterling found, the older Camp had died in 1919. That is possible, but he was just a young man when he fought in the Civil War. Well, saying fought is stretching his service a bit. He was a farrier for the Confederates. He shod mules while the Pollard great-great grand made shoes for the soldiers for the Confederacy. Family history certainly can be interesting.

 

Not much going on here with the neighbors and the lack of interest in the house across the street. Feel just awful for Max and Laisha having to make house payments on a house they can’t sell. Guess that is actually not that unusual for many folks right now. Properties are simply not selling or even renting. Those who want to purchase are finding it pretty difficult to come up with the loans to make any kind of property worth the struggle of making payments. Life simply gets harder as we try to live within our means. Some of the younger generations are finding that out the hard way.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.