Lots of Blessings

The first thing that happened to me on Thanksgiving morning was a surprise presentation of gorgeous flowers by Gerald for my birthday! It was so nice to start the day calmly with beautiful flowers. Two of our three great grandsons were already outside, and I quickly put on some bacon to bake for when they showed up at the kitchen table. After I ate my egg and toast, I started looking at my small to-do list.

The Freeport Eilers were going to eat with their church family this year. Their church provides a community dinner for anyone who will come much like Herrin does. Last year Jeannie had a cold and had to stay home and the rest of the family came without her. This year they were staying home; and when Cecelie called me with birthday wishes, they were on their way to their feast, and I assume to pitch in to help. Jeannie and Rick's daughter Leslie and husband Mike were in Ohio to be with Mike's family. Geri Ann in Oregon and Sam in Waco were both going to a friend's home for dinner since they are tied up until Christmas break. Erin and baby Caroline down in Texas were having Josh's parents to be with them from Oregon or Minnesota --they live both places, so I am not sure of their current location. I liked knowing that Josh knew his folks were there to celebrate with his wife and daughter, and I was pleased that Gerald brought up and placed with our group the 8 by l0 photo of Josh holding two-week-old baby Caroline before he had to return to South Korea. Josh stays in our thoughts and prayers.

We have had a lot of excitement crammed into little more than a week's time! Last Saturday we drove over and took flowers to Katherine who was in the hospital at Carbondale. Before we left the house, we were shocked to hear that Gerry, our son who had just gone to Auburn University as associate softball coach two months ago, had accepted head coach at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and that it would be announced at press conference on Monday.

Gerry invited us down; of course, Gerald and our daughter Mary Ellen wanted to be there. Me too, but since doctors warned me to not travel without resting every two hours or so after a pulmonary embolism several years ago, I knew that would be out of the question with the race down there. Mary Ellen double checked that Gerry really wanted them there despite how busy as he would be. She had a terrible coughing cold, and Gerald woke up somewhat weak on Sunday morning, but they went anyhow. They were making good time until they hit a couple of very long traffic delays, so their 8 pm arrival time stretched out till 11 pm.

Ready to fall into their beds in their reserved room, they could not locate the room for their key. They went back to the desk, and found that motel with their very expensive room had no night clerk! She left evidently as soon as she gave them their key and no directions. After a continued search, they finally gave up and went elsewhere and got to bed at 1 am. and were up shortly after 5 for Monday's exciting activities starting with a tour of facilities and meetings before the 11 o'clock press conference . All the fun and pleasure of hearing Gerry's career praised gave them adrenaline, and the many hugs and laughter provided serotonin and endorphins to get through the day happily and wide awake feeling good. They were back home by 11 that night after the second 630 mile trip in two days. (Yes, they received an apology and no charge at first motel. Evidently there were two buildings and the night clerk in her hurry to leave failed to properly explain.)

Gerry's wife Vickie cares for baby Caroline during the week while Erin teaches, so she had used Erin's break to go to Normal here in Illinois to see the Archibald family--Tara and Bryan and her three grandsons. Suddenly she had to shorten her visit and fly down to Lafayette. Yet she looked rested and beautiful in her red dress that perfectly matched the bouquet they gave her. (Vermilion is the school color, and I had to google it to discover that bright red or scarlet is close enough. I suspect I will be doing quite a bit of googling to learn about Lafayette and the Ragin' Cajuns.) I was at home, but I was able to see much of the festivities with all the videos on Facebook and spent most of the day doing so, although I was aware it was three days till Thanksgiving.

It was difficult to think with all the excitement, but fortunately I had the pumpkin pies that Gerry loves all baked and in the freezer and an angel food cake and one pie made without sugar for Gerald. and a large frozen pecan pie someone had brought once upon a time that did not get eaten. Gerald had bought our frozen almost 22-pound turkey and it was thawing in the garage fridge. I figured I would make the dressing and fry the okra, and I had ingredients and assignments for everyone else to put a simple holiday meal on the buffet. I was disappointed that now Gerry would not be with us as planned, but I was glad he would at least have a day to get some sleep. Mary Ellen had wanted to do the dining room table, and I was relieved to let her. I went to my physical therapy Tuesday afternoon, and then I ran by Katherine's house as she had just come home from the hospital the night before.

On Wednesday. Gerald helped and we cut the plastic wrapping off the thawed turkey and made it ready for him to put it in the oven early the next morning. Oh yes, I set the oven's self cleaning mechanism to take care of some pumpkin pie batter I'd spilled the week before. Later while I was at Katherine's and then running by the store for last minute items, Gerald cleared out the smokey air from the burned-up oven gunk. When I got home, things were in full swing with the great grandsons having arrived. Vickie had flown back to Normal from Louisiana and came down for Thanksgiving with the Archibalds as originally planned. Aidan, our oldest great grandson had to play in two basketball games on Tuesday night, so they could not come sooner. But it did not take long after they arrived for the three boys to be outside doing all the things they do on the farm. As soon as I was back at the farm and after hugs and greetings, I put away those last minute items and then swiped out the coating of white ash left in the oven; our grandson-in-law Bryan reached the back of the oven for me. We all had a party to go to!

The Archibalds had invited both sides (Johnson and Glasco) to an early birthday party at Pirate Pete's. That was what Maddux wanted for his and his cousin Kinsley's birthdays.  I had never been to Pirate Pete's but knew where it was. In our day, Tara and our other grand-kids would lure us to Chuckie Cheese's in Paducah. So going to Pirate Pete's was an adventure, and we quickly understood why the kids loved it. Gma Shirley and I and other adults too staid to participate as some did in a laser fight were comfortable in a quiet dining area. We enjoyed visiting until the kids (and adult kids) wore down and joined us for pizza and opening gifts. The blow guns the boys chose with the tickets they won provided soft padded “bullets” flying through the air the rest of our holiday. I liked that and hearing them fiddling with the piano in this sometimes too quiet adult household. The boys are extremely kind and well mannered, and I love watching them grow up.

After Mary Ellen and Brianna arrived Thanksgiving morning, Mary Ellen added to the table decorations she had started on Wednesday. She had new yellow clothes for the dining table and adjoining kitchen table, and she had made a tan burlap runner and placed red candles inside two large glass vases with the candles held up by harvested soybeans. All was quite lovely and symbolic, but Thursday she added bows on the vases and a centerpiece between them. Come to find out, that centerpiece was a gift wreath from Jeannie for my birthday, and in the middle of it was a chocolate pecan pie with two chocolate candles announcing I was 84.
In addition to my assigned tasks for a simple menu, Mary Ellen and Brianna carried in a potato casserole and creamed corn, and Vickie made her deviled eggs that we all love. So our buffet was full with a a variety of foods. I really make giblet gravy for Gerry as I am not sure others eat it, but I decided to go ahead and make it in case someone did want it. Mary Ellen had emphasized we needed to eat on time for hungry kids' sake, but she had also brought sausage/cheese balls and dip to keep people from starving.

Gerald had gone to town to drive Katherine and her wonderful aide out to the farm in her van, so Bryan took over getting the heavy turkey out of the oven and then carving it, which Gerry used to always do. My dressing was not getting done since it was such a big pan. As usual, we really did not make the 12 noon deadline, but everyone was there and laughing and talking. Katherine had seen baby Caroline's photos that decorate our kitchen thanks to Gerald's photography hobby, and she was back to her spot for her wheelchair at the table. Food was prepared and placed. Brian and Trent had joined us, and we had congratulated Trent on SIUC's success in a cyber security tournament. The two college students had seated themselves with the three boys at their table. We were almost ready for Gerald to thank God for our blessings when there was an uproar in the kitchen. The kitchen door slammed, and suddenly there was Gerry who had driven from Louisiana to be with us after all. Suddenly we had even more blessing for Gerald to express thanks for.

After a meal of fellowship, Mary Ellen and Vickie put away the food and did the enormous kitchen clean up while I visited and enjoyed my birthday. (They did leave that difficult dressing pan for me.) Katherine was getting very tired and her aide had another dinner to go to. Gerry and Vickie and the Archibalds also had yet another to go to that night with the Johnson family at Terry and Sheila's. Brianna had come home from Murray with great relief from turning in her senior thesis--and yes it was excellent her professor said--and she wanted to celebrate with a movie with her family. So the house quieted a bit until Gerry and Vickie and the Archibalds returned, and everyone needed to get to bed.

Although the Archibalds left early Friday morning (for another Thanksgiving celebration with Bryan's family), the boys had kayaked and created a neat tunnel in the lime pile and ridden on all the things with wheels that they love. Bryan had already washed and put the kayaks back on their storage ropes. Gerry and Vickie left soon after with the bird dogs Gerald had been feeding for Gerry. They were headed to Erin's house where Gerry would be able to cuddle baby Caroline—the perfect ending for his brief break. Gerald and I went back into the empty house.

Saturday was a catch-up day.Gerald fixed a faucet in the downstairs bathroom, and I boiled the turkey carcass and put bags of broth into the freezer, which will make good soup to go with our sandwiches on cold winter nights ahead. On Sunday we worshiped grateful for our abundant blessings and asking God to help us with our heartaches. Today there is casserole in the oven from left-over turkey. Attractive green pods have burst into bloom adding orange lilies to the other beautiful colors of my birthday bouquet gracing our living room. Brianna will be defending her thesis in front of four professors this week, and I must think about boxed-up Christmas trees stored in closets.

Late Fall and Early Winter Holidays Consolidate

Three of the Freeport gang arrived Wednesday night in Elijah’s car, but Elijah and Cecelie were dropped off at the Taylors to join Brianna and Trent while Rick came onto Woodsong.  Later they arrived here and Sam came out from town to join them.  Looking out the next morning at the grandkids’ parked cars, my heart was warmed  realizing anew how grown up they’d become.  Even our youngest, Cecelie, is now taking drivers instructions and will soon reach that milestone of being a 16-year-old driver.

We had ourl three daughters and all their children with us except for Leslie and Mike, who were in Ohio with Mike’s parents. Our son and his children were in Texas except for Geri Ann, who was in Oregon.  Despite enormous cooperative efforts and holding noon meal-time until 2:30, we did not succeed in having Katherine at the table.  Just when we thought we had conquered our quest to bring her to the farm, Rick and Gerald discovered the van had a dead battery probably because of the cold weather since nothing had been left on to run the battery down. The battery charger could not be found in her garage, and so it was necessary to go back to the farm and come in after the meal to get her van charged. With Mary Ellen left with the clean up, we returned to town. The van was charged, another round of meds given,  and Katherine did spend the early evening with us. 

Not only clean up, but Mary Ellen did the majority of the meal preparation this year.  She and Brianna had a mother-daughter day making pies on Wednesday as well as many delicious side dishes. Gerald and I did do the turkey, and I did the dressing and sweet potatoes.  Gerald helped me lift the heavy frozen bird into the fridge to thaw and then five days later on Wednesday night to get it out  for pan preparation.  He did the hated job of getting that awful plastic (better than the wire that used to be used) unstuck from the back cavity. As strong as he is, it was difficult even for him to remove.  Remembering all the times I had fought that at 4 a.m. in times past, I was grateful.  The turkey was all prepped and panned before I went to bed.  All I had to do when I got up at 6 the next morning was move it a couple feet from the fridge to the oven.  Mary Ellen, who had already gone into Katherine’s at 4 a.m. to adjust her after receiving a text that alarmed her, arrived early and did the major work all day in the kitchen.

I had planned to fry the okra as I promised Brianna, and the pan was laid out with olive oil and the okra thawed and covered with corn meal.  However, I was late coming back  with those of us who had gone for Katherine. Jeannie, who was busy in Freeport helping her church up there on Wednesday, drove down by herself Thursday morning with Lucky and Leah and more food for our feast.  Since she had arrived by time for the okra to be fried, she was drafted and did a beautiful job with the okra. The grandkids explained to her that she needed to burn it a bit to be like Grandma’s, so she cooked it a little longer. (That explains well my cooking, but fortunately the grandkids are sentimental anyhow about my okra!)

The five grandchildren here were in top form enjoying each others’ company and exchanging college and high school experiences talking late  into the night. Hearing about a proposed tennis shoe painting project left parents fearful they would be ruining tennis shoes, but the kids’ colorful unique designs were actually very  attractive.  Parents already  burdened with college tuition and housing costs breathed a sigh of relief as well as appreciation for their art work.

The kids were talking about progressive Thanksgiving dinners, and Mary Ellen thought I might think they meant the old-fashioned progressive dinner where each course was served at a different house.  But I knew what they meant, and I thought Gerald and my combined efforts on the turkey qualified us to be called progressive. They thought we still had a way to go, so to be truly progressive, we may have to turn the cooking over to them next year!

If not progressive, we are good at keeping family traditions.  Despite getting to bed late Thursday night, Gerald dragged Rick out of bed to go down to Union County to have breakfast at Jonesboro with his brothers and nephews. A new tradition may have been born Friday afternoon when Elijah took a educational movie in to watch in her bedroom with his Aunt Katherine, who remains extremely interested in inner-city education even though she can no longer teach.

Since I had not been on the computer for a couple of days, I was catching up very late on Friday  night after I came home from Katherine’s.  (Actually it was morning since it was long after midnight.)  I heard our herd of young adults upstairs in the kitchen cooking, and I did not dare go there, but slipped on quietly to bed. They were using their kindergarten “inside voices” and quiet giggles trying not to be a problem to the adult population, but I wondered what the kitchen would look like when people arose the next morning.  I warned Gerald before he left our bedroom that I had cleaned the kitchen the night before, but not to be shocked if things were in disarray. However, although  there were some left-out objects and dirty dishes in the sink,  over-all the kitchen showed their maturity.  Best of all, the left-over turkey  among other things was devoured, and they had once again created memories without any help from us older folks.

One holiday highlight for me was going to Carbondale on Saturday afternoon to see The Theory of Everything with my grandson Trent. Sam had left to work on an English project with his friend Anna. Elijah and Brianna, who also really wanted to go to the movie, used the discipline that has made them good students and elected to stay home and study to be prepared for classes this week.  The Eilers had to return to Freeport on Saturday, but Elijah stayed on and the kids ended up at the Taylor house that night.

Sunday was made special by having Elijah, Sam, and Bri join me at worship at our village church before I scurried in to Katherine’s house.  Gerald picked me up there to go to the funeral of our dear long-time neighbor Mildred Stapleton.  She had lost Russell just a few months ago. This couple had gone through World War II with Russell fighting overseas and through the Viet Nam War with their son Steve fighting there. Then in recent years they had suffered the death of  the two older sons. Mildred was 92 and deserved to go to a better place.   But her loss was great to her grandchildren and their younger children, Mike and Debby, who were neighborhood friends to our kids. Gerald took me afterwards for a bite of lunch and I went back to Katherine’s for the rest of the day.

The autumnal decorations are now put away, and I must face the two over-full closets with boxed Christmas trees—one downstairs and one upstairs. Because I like to leave our trees up at least until New Year’s Day, I haven’t started Christmas celebrating yet except vicariously on the drive to town or  enjoying photographs of lovely lighted trees on Facebook.

Despite a desire by many to have the main holidays of the fall and winter separate, Thanksgiving and Christmas have become one long season in America—just as towns and cities and villages have run into each other and been consolidated into metro regions, where you have to be a local resident to even know when one location ends and the other begins.

Putting the tree up on Christmas Eve was abandoned by most families long ago when electric lights replaced dangerous candle-lit trees.  And now with artificial trees so prevalent, we can put up trees early with less fear of dangerous drying out and annoying shedding needles.  Busy lives have also caused many to use the Thanksgiving time off to put up trees.   Outdoor decorations are assembled  to avoid colder weather later. Consequently we are already into the Christmas season with its beautiful decorations and lights often before we have finished our Thanksgiving grace. Even though I am behind all those who have already decorated, I am going to try and be progressive and enjoy this early beginning of the best season of the year!

 

My 29th Birthday Celebration and Other Events

Gerald. Jake, and I are getting back to normal after the influx of family over the holiday weekend.  Jake had six visiting “cousins” or “nephews” as one of our kids figured out to call these visiting canines. “Cousins” is what we had always called the kids’ dogs when they visited at the same time. Then we got Jake. I like him just fine and appreciate  his welcoming greeting every time I arrive home, but I have a little trouble thinking of him as equal to my four children.  (One daughter said her dog would be Jake’s nephew.)  Nevertheless, while Gerald pets and sweet talks to him, I have heard Gerald calling him, “Son.”  However the dogs are related (or not), it is always fun to watch them interact, and I was glad they all got along.

Gerry arrived on Tuesday so he could hunt with his dad, and Jeannie came that evening with Elijah and Cecelie to be available to help me on Wednesday.  While Brian was in the field, Mary Ellen was over at her house on Wednesday cooking up a storm both for our Thanksgiving feast and the second one for her brother-in-law’s family on Friday, but she managed a visit with us each day anyhow.

Brianna and Trent had classes in Central Illinois on Wednesday, so they came later that day.  They slept at Woodsong, so they could be with their cousins. So did Sam.  Our newlyweds Leslie and Mike arrived from Nashville late that evening. Vickie, Erin, and Geri Ann were over at Gma Shirley’s but dropping in and out over here.  By Thursday noon, David had brought Katherine out in the van, and Vickie and daughters arrived with food for the buffet and flowers for my birthday to brighten the dining room.

Except for the five Archibalds who were entertaining Bryan’s family down at Athens, Georgia, all seventeen of us were  here.  I keep the two extra leaves in the dining room table all the time, so that it can seat ten if necessary and it frequently is. Gerald put the extra leaf in the kitchen table, and then eight can sit there.  It is noisy and chaotic when the family is here at once, but it means a great deal to me to be surrounded by these loved ones.

The last few years, our children have started carrying in extra food as a means of helping me, and we end up with more than we need. But that was very helpful this year because grandkids are now driving and, thus, coming and going to town at undetermined times, and Jeannie and I were alternating at Katherine’s house while aides were off.  So there was plenty of food on hand for people to help themselves with plates for the microwave or snacks off the dessert table.  I fixed left-overs  for sit-down meals a couple of times. Jeannie and Mary Ellen kept dishes washed up.

Gerry and Vickie and daughters and dogs took off Thanksgiving night after their second family dinner at Gma Shirley’s. Gerry needed to be at work the next morning.  They drove through the night with the women shopping as they went along.  At one point, Vickie joined Gerry in the truck and gave him a long driving break. On the way up, they had picked Erin up at the Atlanta airport, and I don’t know if she was able to enjoy a weekend in Athens with them or not before she flew back to Texas.  I forgot to ask, but it sure was good to see her as I have missed her terribly since she can no longer drop in like she had for the previous two years.

On Friday, my birthday, Gerald picked me up from Katherine’s. Stopping at the mailbox as we pulled into our lane, I was gratified with cards and letters as well as a present from my sister. As I walked into the house, the phone rang and it was my sister’s birthday call from Amarillo before their weekly Friday night dinner for their large extended family of kids and grandkids. I hadn’t hung up yet when the seven grandkids still at our house came into the room smiling and laughing before they disappeared into Leslie and Mike’s bedroom.  Since they always have some project going, I didn’t think anything about it. A few minutes later they came out singing “Happy birthday” with a beautiful cake from Larry’s saying:  “Happy 29ths birthday, Grandma!”  Gerry phoned to say happy birthday, and Mary Ellen dropped in and we all had a great birthday party with cake and ice cream and lots of laughter.

The laughter got louder a little later when the grandkids started cooking up their late night plans. They had planned even before they came to see Lincoln  together at the Marion theater.  Suddenly they were plotting again, and Sam was cutting out beards and top hats there at the dining room table. They carried up black construction paper they had found in their den downstairs—the junk room we called the “art room” when they were little.  One by one, the middle four of the seven found suit jackets from the dress-up closet and added their beards and tall hats, while adults respectfully (nervously) declined accompanying them to the theater.  We were glad Leslie and Mike were going along to keep them in line, and Cecelie looked so cute with the hair-do some cousin had given her that I was happy she did not spoil it with a top hat.

With the commotion of a big family, it is usual to run late, and they barely made it before the movie began. Leslie had to laugh when Trent put down his credit card, and the girl at the box office handed him the seven tickets without even asking which movie they were attending.  By then most seats were taken, so they were escorted to the very front accompanied by the laughter of those seeing four Lincolns arrive for the movie.  Knowing President Lincoln was well mannered, they remembered to take the hats off so they would not block anyone’s vision.  Phones were used by some in the audience to take their pictures, and Leslie loved telling that one mother warned her child to stay away from those weird kids.  We were all sound asleep when they came back late that night, but were relieved to learn the next day that they wern’t refused admission. By Saturday they had posted a photo of the Lincoln Four on Facebook and were already on to other plans. Aunt Mary had cleaned up the black construction paper scraps.  

I spent Saturday night at Katherine’s and only came home Sunday morning to get ready for Sunday School and church.  I was delighted to have Leslie and Mike and another young couple, A.J. and Jessie, in our Young Adult Class.  Since Jessie is very close to producing their second child any time now, there was some interesting visiting in addition to studying the final chapter of Peter’s second letter reminding us that the Lord is long suffering, not wanting anyone to perish but to come to repentance.  And I could again marvel that to the Lord, a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day.  Afterwards during worship, we loved hearing Leslie sing before concentrating on the pastor’s chosen text from Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians.

Jeannie took us all out for Sunday dinner at Cracker Barrel, so they could head on home immediately to northern Illinois and Leslie and Mike could go the opposite direction to Tennessee.  We dropped Sam off, and Gerald and I came home to rest. 

A huge white moon hung in the early eastern sky at 4:45 this afternoon as I left Katherine’s house and started toward the farm. I enjoyed it along with early Christmas lights as I drove through the darkening daylight. By the time I reached Woodsong, the moon was light golden in color. The beauty is always very welcome.  With life so busy, the time between one full moon and the next seems to be on express these days.  For me a month is like a day.  I do look forward to a new heaven and a new earth, and I suppose a life outside of time just as the Lord enjoys.

Dropping Like Flies

“Dropping like flies” was the comment of one of the grandkids describing our family Thanksgiving vacation at Woodsong. The holiday started early when a call from Goreville Tuesday morning said that Gerry and Vickie with Geri Ann and their grandson Aidan were almost here from Georgia. We happily invited them and Erin to lunch with us at Honeybakers, so I had a real birthday party. The Georgia gang were all excited to go see Drew Johnson play in the Crab Orchard annual Turkey Tournament, and Geri Ann was able to have her long-time Johnston City friend Cece over to spend the night with her.

On Wednesday I made pecan and pumpkin pies, and we had chili for lunch. By Wednesday evening, David had brought Sam out from Marion, Leslie had arrived from Belmont, the Archibalds were down from Aurora and the Taylors had arrived from central Illinois with Mary Ellen bringing three large versions of a marvelous casserole. Leslie made our salad, and I served canned peaches and a little store-bought cake for dessert—not letting anyone touch the counter full of pies saved for the next day, Jeannie, Rick, Elijah, and Cecelie arrived during the night. Katherine and David came out the next day. Before I went to bed while the others had gone to see Drew play again, I washed and prepared the turkey for the oven early the next morning.

I had the small upstairs oven at 350 degrees and the turkey roasting by 5:15 on Thursday morning and stumbled back to bed for a couple more hours sleep. I figured the turkey would be done by 11 and would have time to sit before Gerry carved it for us. The only hitch on Thursday was when I stumbled back into the kitchen shortly before 8. I discovered we had had a power surge that turned off the oven with the baking turkey. (This had never happened to me before.) Not knowing how long the oven had been off, I worried if it would be done by noon but quickly had it going again. (I knew Gerry and Vickie and their families would be going to an evening dinner at the Johnsons, so I did not want to serve the noon dinner too late.) But all went well with all the help I had, and we were eating earlier than usual before 1 o’clock.

Mary Ellen arrived from their camper with all the ingredients to make a both a broccoli casserole and a cauliflower casserole in the downstairs oven, which we’d moved over from our old house. (The huge pan of dressing, green bean casserole, and sweet potato casserole filled up the main upstairs oven.) Jeannie had carried in a yummy dessert and ingredients for a special salad. The Archibalds brought a spinach dip with chips that went over great while people waited for the feast to begin.

People were getting up at their own pace (except when someone made too much noise and awakened them), Gerald was busy giving Aidan, Maddux, and even little Payton tractor and “mule” rides. I think Aidan enlisted Sam, Elijah, and Trent in various activities including digging in his lime pile. And Maddux, who is now talking in sentences, was given his very own little shovel for the lime pile. The men were visiting and having fun while the women of the family cooked, enjoyed the little ones, and visited. The meal was bountiful and people were thankful for many things as evidenced by the blessings written on construction paper turkey feathers that the kids posted on Mary Ellen’s turkey poster hung in the dining room.

As we rested after the dinner clean up, the shoppers in the family scoured the newspaper for all the Black Friday ads and got excited about the fantastic bargains. Before they knew it, plans for a competition developed. Vickie and Tara have evidently worked cooperatively on this before, and Mary Ellen was enlisted with Erin to form another team and see who could outdo the other team in obtaining bargains. Since the toy store was to open before midnight and others continued afterwards, I realized this was an all-night activity, which was amazing to me.

What I did not know until reported the next morning when this crew came giggling into the kitchen before a little sleep (very little) downstairs, Erin had not shown up. She had phoned Geri Ann that she really did not want to go once she quickly got the comforter and towels she needed for her new place. Geri Ann thought there was a simple solution—just don’t go. So Mary Ellen’s team lost and she was particularly kind to go ahead and get her small kitchen appliances on sale for Erin at yet another store.

As they met up at Steak and Shake for a break, they plotted revenge for Erin’s backing out. Someone had told them a story about someone making money last year by claiming limited large items, which they really did not want to buy, and then before checking out giving the item over to another hapless customer for $20 or so, which still made it a cheap purchase for that customer. They had pondered if that was not illegal. So as they took their break, they decided that they needed to phone Erin and tell her they had tried it on some item and they had been arrested. They were going to ask her to come to the Marion police station but whatever she did not to tell her daddy because then he would never let the women go shopping again on Black Friday! They had quite a story cooked up to tell her only to have their revenge aborted when Erin had her phone turned off. (So I would not get unwanted night-time phone calls, Erin reported the next day.) But I think they had plenty of fun dreaming up this revenge and talking about it the next day.

One of the new aspects of this holiday gathering was all the teen drivers. These kids decided they wanted in on the Black Friday excitement. They piled into Leslie’s or someone’s car and went looking for fights in the stores as peaceful Elijah explained as they ran around town taking movies and having a great time standing in lines where they intended to buy nothing, and of course visiting Steak and Shake. They came in hours before the adult shoppers and eventually went to bed on various couches, but I did not even hear them since I was sleeping peacefully.

Peacefully that is before one grandchild came in to whisper he had just been sick. I sent him back to his couch and to make a long story short, I mopped a floor and had only gotten back to bed an hour or so before the adult shoppers came home in with great high spirits. I had not gone back to sleep because when I went back to bed, I remembered the oven going off with the turkey. I had horror visions that maybe this was food poisoning from that cold oven after starting the turkey cooking and what if I had poisoned my whole family? Jeannie kept reassuring me that from her experience in her college days with a major food company at a summer camp where hundreds had food poisoning, that was not what was happening even though we found out at breakfast that Bryan had been up during the night also with little Aidan throwing up.

As it turned out, the early sick ones were through the worst within 24 hours as is typical of stomach flu victims, but they all needed an extra day before the color came back to their cheeks and they were no longer weak. They had unintentionally spread it to the Johnson family so then I knew it was not my turkey. The next night the teens, who had not gotten the flu yet and felt like running around again, went to a movie in town, and Gerry had to go get Geri Ann when she became sick there.

On and on it went. Let’s see—Aidan, Sam, Leslie, Geri Ann, Erin, Gerry, Cecelie, Jeannie, Brian, Mary Ellen, Brianna, me, and finally Elijah right before they left this morning. The Archibalds had such a bug a week or so ago and seemed to be immune except for Aidan, who had spent that week at Gerry and Vickie’s. I am hoping they did not get the flu on their long way home today as Rick did as the Eilers traveled back to Freeport. Katherine, David, Vickie and Trent seemed to have escaped so far. Gerald had gotten a head cold on Wednesday and it kept getting worse each day and he became weak but did not seem to catch the flu. We were truly dropping like flies and it has not been a pretty picture at Woodsong for the last two days. My washing machine is running now and probably will be for the next day or two with blankets and towels. Everyone has agreed it has been a Thanksgiving to remember.



























“Dropping like flies” was the comment of one of the grandkids describing our family Thanksgiving vacation at Woodsong. The holiday started early when a call from Goreville Tuesday morning said that Gerry and Vickie with Geri Ann and their grandson Aidan were almost here from Georgia. We happily invited them and Erin to lunch with us at Honeybakers, so I had a real birthday party. The Georgia folks were all excited to go see Drew Johnson play in the Crab Orchard annual Turkey Tournament, and Geri Ann was able to have her long-time Johnston City friend Cece over to spend the night with her.

On Wednesday I made pecan and pumpkin pies, and we had chili for lunch. By Wednesday evening, David had brought Sam out from Marion, Leslie had arrived from Belmont, the Archibalds were down from Aurora and the Taylors had arrived from central Illinois with Mary Ellen bringing three large versions of a marvelous casserole. Leslie made our salad, and I served canned peaches and a little store-bought cake for dessert—not letting anyone touch the counter full of pies saved for the next day, Jeannie, Rick, Elijah, and Cecelie arrived during the night. Katherine and David came out the next day. Before I went to bed while the others had gone to see Drew play again, I washed and prepared the turkey for the oven early the next morning.

I had the small upstairs oven at 350 degrees and the turkey roasting by 5:15 on Thursday morning and stumbled back to bed for a couple more hours sleep. I figured the turkey would be done by 11 and would have time to sit before Gerry carved it for us. The only hitch on Thursday was when I stumbled back into the kitchen shortly before 8. I discovered we had had a power surge that turned off the oven with the baking turkey. (This had never happened to me before.) Not knowing how long the oven had been off, I worried if it would be done by noon but quickly had it going again. (I knew Gerry and Vickie and their families would be going to an evening dinner at the Johnsons, so I did not want to serve the noon dinner too late.) But all went well with all the help I had, and we were eating earlier than usual before 1 o’clock.

Mary Ellen arrived from their camper with all the ingredients to make a both a broccoli casserole and a cauliflower casserole in the downstairs oven, which we’d moved over from our old house. (The huge pan of dressing, green bean casserole, and sweet potato casserole filled up the main upstairs oven.) Jeannie had carried in a yummy dessert and ingredients for a special salad. The Archibalds brought a spinach dip with chips that went over great while people waited for the feast to begin.

People were getting up at their own pace (except when someone made too much noise and awakened them), Gerald was busy giving Aidan, Maddux, and even little Payton tractor and “mule” rides. I think Aidan enlisted Sam, Elijah, and Trent in various activities including digging in his lime pile. And Maddux, who is now talking in sentences, was given his very own little shovel for the lime pile. The men were visiting and having fun while the women of the family cooked, enjoyed the little ones, and visited. The meal was bountiful and people were thankful for many things as evidenced by the blessings written on construction paper turkey feathers that the kids posted on Mary Ellen’s turkey poster hung in the dining room.

As we rested after the dinner clean up, the shoppers in the family scoured the newspaper for all the Black Friday ads and got excited about the fantastic bargains. Before they knew it, plans for a competition developed. Vickie and Tara have evidently worked cooperatively on this before, and Mary Ellen was enlisted with Erin to form another team and see who could outdo the other team in obtaining bargains. Since the toy store was to open before midnight and others continued afterwards, I realized this was an all-night activity, which was amazing to me.

What I did not know until reported the next morning when this crew came giggling into the kitchen before a little sleep (very little) downstairs, Erin had not shown up. She had phoned Geri Ann that she really did not want to go once she quickly got the comforter and towels she needed for her new place. Geri Ann thought there was a simple solution—just don’t go. So Mary Ellen’s team lost and she was particularly kind to go ahead and get her small kitchen appliances on sale for Erin at yet another store.

As they met up at Steak and Shake for a break, they plotted revenge for Erin’s backing out. Someone had told them a story about someone making money last year by claiming limited large items, which they really did not want to buy, and then before checking out giving the item over to another hapless customer for $20 or so, which still made it a cheap purchase for that customer. They had pondered if that was not illegal. So as they took their break, they decided that they needed to phone Erin and tell her they had tried it on some item and they had been arrested. They were going to ask her to come to the Marion police station but whatever she did not to tell her daddy because then he would never let the women go shopping again on Black Friday! They had quite a story cooked up to tell her only to have their revenge aborted when Erin had her phone turned off. (So I would not get unwanted night-time phone calls, Erin reported the next day.) But I think they had plenty of fun dreaming up this revenge and talking about it the next day.

One of the new aspects of this holiday gathering was all the teen drivers. These kids decided they wanted in on the Black Friday excitement. They piled into Leslie’s or someone’s car and went looking for fights in the stores as peaceful Elijah explained as they ran around town taking movies and having a great time standing in lines where they intended to buy nothing, and of course visiting Steak and Shake. They came in hours before the adult shoppers and eventually went to bed on various couches, but I did not even hear them since I was sleeping peacefully.

Peacefully that is before one grandchild came in to whisper he had just been sick. I sent him back to his couch and to make a long story short, I mopped a floor and had only gotten back to bed an hour or so before the adult shoppers came home in with great high spirits. I had not gotten back to sleep because when I went back to bed, I remembered the oven going off with the turkey. I had horror visions that maybe this child had food poisoning from that cold oven after starting the turkey cooking and what if I had poison my whole family? Jeannie kept reassuring me that from her experience in her college days with a major food company at a summer camp where hundreds had food poisoning, that was not what was happening even though we found out at breakfast that Bryan had been up during the night also with little Aidan throwing up.

As it turned out, the early sick ones were through the worst within 24 hours as is typical of stomach flu victims, but they all needed an extra day before the color came back to their cheeks and they were no longer weak. They had unintentionally spread it to the Johnson family so then I knew it was not my turkey. The next night the teens, who had not gotten the flu yet and felt like running around again, went to a movie in town, and Gerry had to go get Geri Ann when she became sick there.

On and on it went. Let’s see—Aidan, Sam, Leslie, Geri Ann, Erin, Gerry, Cecelie, Jeannie, Brian, Mary Ellen, Brianna, me, and finally Elijah right before they left this morning. The Archibalds had such a bug a week or so ago and seemed to be immune except for Aidan, who had spent that week at Gerry and Vickie’s. I am hoping they did not get the flu on their long way home today as Rick did as the Eilers traveled back to Freeport. Katherine, David, Vickie and Trent seemed to have escaped so far. Gerald had gotten a head cold on Wednesday and it kept getting worse each day and he became weak but did not seem to catch the flu. We were truly dropping like flies and it has not been a pretty picture at Woodsong for the last two days. My washing machine is running now and probably will be for the next day or two with blankets and towels. Everyone has agreed it has been a Thanksgiving to remember.

Thanksgiving Is Almost Here

The hunters left Woodsong Saturday morning very happy as the one carrying the gun got an eleven-point buck. The camera guy caught it all on tape. We had a restful weekend although Gerald was busy on a project in his shop for a surprise for our 17-year-old grandson Trent.

Erin was briefly in to borrow a staple gun for the couch upholstery job--with sheets--that she and her friend Toni were doing on the couch Toni’s folks gave Erin. I bet those two make it look up-to-date. Erin hopes to be in her little rental house in Cambria by the middle of December. Her folks are bringing up several pieces of furniture she painted down in Georgia. They are also bringing up her dog Sadie, and Erin is very excited about that. Gma Shirley has donated a kitchen table, and Toni’s folks (whom Erin calls her adopted folks) also donated beds, so Erin will soon be closer to her new job at Southern Illinois University.

The turkey was put in our fridge yesterday to start thawing. Final grocery lists are made for shopping tomorrow to be ready Wednesday to start preparing Thursday’s dinner. People will start arriving tomorrow night for the holiday and weekend. Beds are ready and plenty of sheets are ready for the couches, which will all be full by Thanksgiving night. Glad Mary Ellen and Brian have not winterized their camper up at Wayside Farm since we definitely need that sleeping space.

While we are enjoying this holiday family time at Woodsong, the family history scrapbooks and scads of miscellaneous papers are temporarily put away, and writing family history is put on hold until next week. I have been doing much more reviewing than writing so far. Recalling, relearning, and looking at past work, which I have already forgotten, are necessary to limit propagating errors.

I have also done a little sorting and filing as I find piles placed haphazardly in boxes or even within the scrapbooks when bits and pieces of information have come in and I have been busy with other projects.

We were saddened by the death of a second cousin’s daughter at the end of last week out in Colorado. It is the nature of family history that it has no ending and no beginning—much like the love of God. Family history spreads out in all directions as you look to the past, and you notice the constant addition of new families. You see the same thing happening in the future as you watch young families forming and new blood lines constantly being introduced to the family. You soon realize that we are all one family of man.

I’ll get my hair fixed early this week in order to get my favorite stylist since she is off work on Wednesday, which is good since I plan to be baking pies that day. Gerald and I have a luncheon date in town tomorrow to celebrate my birthday before company starts arriving.

It looks like I will be too busy living for the next several days to do much writing. But if anything super exciting happens, I might have to run down here to my office and blog about it. Otherwise, I probably will be blogging again next Monday.

Holiday Break Is Over

Everyone is gone, and Gerald and I find the silence almost deafening. Gerry’s family had to leave Friday morning since their family was involved with a softball camp this weekend. Katherine and David were just out for the day on Thursday—bringing me a start of the beloved lilac bush that Katherine dug one hot afternoon from our old farm home. She was still able to plant and nurture it then eight years ago. David had dug it for me for my birthday. I could not have asked for a better present. The other two families left this afternoon. I hope all are safely home and tucked in bed after their long drives home.

We weren’t sure what time Erin’s flight was from Atlanta to College Station, but I hope it was early enough that she too is soon in bed. Everyone dreaded starting back to the grind in the morning.

It has been a good six days of family visiting at Woodsong. Most days people were coming and going, and I was never sure who was in the house. Eighteen were here Thursday, and after that, seldom less than ten of us were eating. Sweets from Gma Shirley’s Thanksgiving dinner showed up on our dessert counter along with Mary Ellen’s apple pie and chocolate pecan pies. So it did not seem to take much effort to fix a new dish or two for lunch and mix with the leftovers.

Friday we took the kids to the Carbondale mall while two daughters and I looked at kitchen sets. (Five of my six chairs are beyond repair, and the sixth will likely die soon.) Since we were there, we went to Pagliai’s for pizza while Jeannie reminisced about college days there. After a Saturday night movie, it was pizza at Walt’s, which brought memories to Mary Ellen. The kids thought pizza two nights in a row was a great nutrition choice. We oldsters enjoyed it too.

Gerald convinced me that I should go ahead and use the leaking sink by keeping the crock pot beneath to collect the water. That worked, and all I had to do was remember to empty it. We kept the dish washer and the sink busy with dish washing.

I slow baked steak and potatoes in the oven while we were at church this morning. We were all pleased that Leslie and Elijah sang for us in the service. Mary Ellen and Brian had not been able to hear Leslie sing in a long time; and except for his family, none of us had heard Elijah for a year or so. When we arrived back at the farm, I fixed the okra that I had thawed out to prepare for Thursday’s feast. A family favorite, okra is always on our Thanksgiving menu and I had it written down on the planned menu, which I failed to consult on Thursday. Two days later I remembered it in the downstairs fridge in the den. Ah well.

Now at last, the leftovers are mostly gone. The two youngest granddaughters finished their turkey cupcakes this afternoon—a project that got stranded last night when it was time for all to leave for the movies. The kids drove the “mule” for the last time. I assume they may have made any last decisions or conversations about their on-going group book project that they have been working on for a year or so. Jeannie straightened bedrooms and put the sheets from the couches and air mattresses through the laundry. Kids were told to pack up their clothes and stuff. There were emotional hugs as cousins parted company from one another. Granddogs were loaded to leave, and after the final farewells, I took Sam and his friend Tyler home. We enjoyed the neighbors' beautiful Christmas lights as we drove.

Gerald and I watched television together. Two people don’t make much noise.

'Twas the Night Before...

This afternoon I wrassled the turkey. With Gerry's help pulling out the still frozen-in plastic ring, it is ready for the oven at 5 a.m. The sweet potatoes are boiled and ready for the casserole. The celery and onion have been sauteed ready for the dressing. I think I have everything necessary out of the freezer.

I just made up three couches and have a couple more to go in case they are needed. Fortunately, the Taylors are willing to use their camper. The kids could go to Katherine and David's or may end up at the camper or at Gma Shirley's, and there are always plenty of air mattresses if someone wants the floor. But I want to have places ready just in case since the adults occupy the bedrooms.

Gerry, Vicki, and Geri Ann arrived from Georgia early this morning sometime after midnight--I was alseep. Yesterday afternoon Erin arrived from A&M and Leslie from Belmont about the same time that Gerald and I returned from our dermatologist appointments in
St. Louis. Gerald took us out to dinner. My birthday was Monday, but I asked to wait and celebrate with my two favorite college students.

Right now two families, whose kids had school today, are on the way here--and should be here by midnight if not before. Brian and Mary with Trent and Brianna are coming from central Illinois, and Jeannie and Rick with Elijah and Cecelie are coming all the way from Freeport. I imagine Elijah is driving.

Gerry's family left to go to Gma Shirley's for a family dinner there before they head out to the Crab Orchard High School gym to see their cousin Drew Johnson play. He made 22 points the last game. Hope he even beats that tonight, while his family is watching!

Gerald and Gerry went hunting this afternoon with Gerry's two dogs that are here at Woodsong right now. That went well and there were four quail dressed in the sink that I quickly put in the freezer. I might have prepared them, but my kitchen has a clitch in it right now. After I had washed and prepared the turkey, I used lots of hot soapy water to clean the double sink to be sure no bacteria was left behind. Then I noticed all the water on the floor and water dripping from the door below the sink. Since I try to be careful not to splash when handling poultry, I was puzzled. Gerald and Gerry helped me explore under there, and it was discovered that for sometime water was leaking from the disposal. A crock pot stored there was full of water from he past. I am glad we found the problem, but it could have happened at a more convenient time. It was all the extra use of water that made us aware.

I'll have to restrict the use of that main sink. Fortunately, on the other side of the kitchen, instead of just a small water-dispensing sink, I had chosen to install a large sink. I was thinking of a place for wash the garden vegetables in the summer, but it will sure come in handy until we get the other sink repaired.

Leslie knew I was wanting to see Up that I've heard so many good things about. So while she was in town getting a hair cut this afternoon, she rented it for me and after supper she and I watched it together. It was as delightful as everyone said.

Well, I am sure I have stuff to do in the kitchen, and I need to hunt up some more sheets and blankets. I wish you all a happy
Thanksgiving. Pray for peace. And drive carefully. As we say in Southern Illinois, watch out for the deer!