Another year older!

Since I lasted posted I am another year older.  62, which is monumental to me.  First of all 62 is one year older than Gon Gon when he died.  Six years older than when we lost Freddy.  Nineteen years older than Terri.  I get to thinking HOW young they were (and I could list many more) and I wonder why.

As Earl McMillan use to say in class, "When I meet GOD he has some 'splaning to do!"

My birthday was a good day.  I slept in.  Of course it is very seldom I get an early start if I wait for Memama to get up and be sure she takes her meds and we doctor her eyes.

Georgiana had told she was coming over and taking me to dinner.  She arrived with my favorite cake in hand, Italian Cream.  Memama went with us to Texas Grill and we had a nice meal, then we returned home for cake and to open cards.

It was kind of comical, When we all sat down with our cake Memama saw me with the card Georgiana had given me and immediately Memama was up and digging through her cards.  In a moment she disappeared and Georgiana asked if Memama had gone outside.  I told her no, Memama was looking through her files for money to put in my birthday card.  Georgiana walked to the kitchen and checked and sure enough there Memama was, looking at c for cash, d for dollars, e for extra, and m for money.  Memama returned to the dining room table and began writing in a card.

Earlier in the evening Memama had tried to give Georgiana 30 dollars to go toward supper.  Georgiana told her, "Memama, that was my treat."  Memama sat the money down on the table and told Georgiana this is your money, don't forget it.

When Memama finished writing in my card she brought it to me.  What she had written was very sweet.  There was some cash in the card.  When I saw a twenty and a ten I told Georgiana, "I think you just lost your money, and you will play hell getting it from me!"  We giggled then, but later on we had a good laugh.

Actually I had a very good Valentines and Birthday.  Georgiana and I are planning a trip this summer to South Dakota.  For several years I have wanted to go and see the Crazy Horse monument, which will be the world's largest natural stone carved monument when it is completed.  The sculpting has been going on for 48 years, started by a lone individual who went up the mountain every morning with his chisel and hammer and a few sticks of dynamite.  Upon his death bed when he was 82 he was asked if he was disappointed he didn't seen his project completed.  He replied, "One only has to live long enough to inspire others to do great things."  Today this monument has 2000 workers on a daily basis.  The family of the original sculptor heads up the project and not one cent of government money has been spent on it.  When it is completed it will be over 600 feet long, over 500 feet tall, and the four presidents from Mount Rushmore would fit in Crazy Horse's head dress.  The monument depicts Crazy horse on horse back.  (Another statistic I found interesting is the distance from chin to hairline is 39 feet).

For Valentines, Georgiana gave me tickets to ride a steam locomotive two and a half hours one way, then back.  For my Birthday she gave me tickets to a chuck wagon supper and show which is preceded by a tour of an old western town complete with gun fights.

I don't know if you can tell it, but I am excited.

I have the motorhome resting in the barn.  It is going to get a good cleaning and a little maintenance.  I need to pull the rear bumper off and straighten it or find another, and I need to find a new spare tire cover.  Someone was pulling a boat with it last summer and the boat came loose and was just hanging on by a chain.  When they would take off it was fine but when they slowed down, the boat would run into the back of the motorhome.  Grrrrrr!

I'm going to develop a test.  You must be smart enough to pass this test before you are allowed to drive any motorhome.

Actually, we need to quiet some rattles.  Most of them seem to be coming from the cook stove.  On good roads it is o.k., on rough road it is horrible.

Of course with only two of us (3 if Memama accepts our invite), it will be quite different from setting it up for 5 or 6 people.

We debated whether or not to take the motorhome.  Georgiana wanted to take her car, but after riding back from Lubbock in the motorhome and us getting over 10 miles per gallon, she was ready to go camping.  I have found the secret to the motorhome is you have to drive it like you are a retired old fart.  We just set the cruise of 61 and tried to stay out of everyone's way.

I really bought the motorhome to take to tractor pulls I am contracted to announce.  The longest distance I have driven it is about 700 miles one way.  This trip will be about 1000 miles one way.

20 degrees here this morning.  Feels like 5.  I woke in the night to hear sleet pelting the windows.  There is a light dusting of white on the ground today.  Slats called in sick.  That's O.K., with me.  I just hope he can afford to lose the hours.  We had barn stuff we could do today.

I cooked up some bacon this morning and then scrambled a dozen eggs.  I put it all together with some miracle whip and salt and pepper and surprised Memama with bacon and egg sandwiches!  We have a quart of left overs  to use in the next couple of days.

Well.  Make today count.  Wherever you are stay warm.

FATHER, thank YOU for blessing me with another year.  I continue to ask YOUR blessing for good health.  I ask YOUR continued blessings on Memama and for her health.  Bless Georgiana and I as we plan our trip.  Help us to be wise and sensible in our travels.  Thank YOU LORD!