"Chop Ice?!"

I like white Christmas'.  I like to see the snow cover everything; it creates a new world outside.  Winter started on December 22.  Winter is to be cold outside (cold meaning below 32 degrees).  Winter means having to chop ice for the animals and mornings that are so cold they take your breath away.

I remember a conversation I had with a friend at college while eating one time.  "Wait, wait, wait! What do you mean 'chop ice'?" He questioned.  "Uh . . . The water for the animals freezes and we have to chop it, then shovel it out and give them fresh water  [He's looking at me with that blank look when someone has absolutely no idea what you're talking about]. But sometimes the water hydrant is frozen, so you have to get hot water and pour on it before you can get the water to come out [I think that's where I really lost him]." I tired to explain this to Jordan slowly, thinking he would have a 'light bulb' moment and realize what I was talking about.  But he just sat there and gave me a blank look.  The rest of the conversation went something like this: "I take it you've never had an animal outside during the winter . . ." I said slowly.  "No. No, I haven't. My dog is an inside dog."  He's still looking at me, a bit dumbfoundedly. (Is that a word?  I think I just made it one.)  "That's so fascinating! I never knew people had to do that!" Jordan finally exclaimed, when he 'came to'.

I don't have any recent pictures of snow and cold weather, so here are a few pictures of past winters.

My dear sister, Janel.

Yes, we were ice skating in the pasture.

Trash bag sledding in WV with college friends.  Good times!

I hope you all had a wonderful little Christmas, like I had.  It was different without Janel and her sweet, little family.  Plus we didn't have any snow; on the contrary, it was in the 40's outside.  It looks like the new year will be ushered in with warm weather also.  

A hill I loved to look at while attending college.

May you all have a blessed new year, full of learning new things and good times, as we are given one day at a time to bring glory to our Lord!

Finishing Touches

We remodeled the upstairs of our house about ten or eleven years ago.  However, we never got the doors up for the bedrooms or bathroom.  Instead, we put up muslin curtains across the doorways.  That is the way we lived for the past 'few' years.  We were use to it;  it was livable.  But today, that changed.  A man came and put the doors up for us.  I could have cried because I was so happy.

Aren't they beautiful?!  I still cannot get over the fact that we have doors now!  We still need to put the baseboard trim and window trims up; hopefully it won't be another ten years!

Aboard Ship

 Due to a sudden interest in WWII and relatives that were in the war, I found a letter that my great uncle wrote to my grandpa.  Here it is, in it's original form:

Dear Lloyd,                                                               Aboard Ship  Dec. 1, 1945
I have been thinking for a quite a while about something that I want to keep a secret from Betty and everybody back home.  I will write and tell you about it and I want you to keep it a secret from everybody.  I may get a leave very shortly to come home, and I want to surprise everybody.  I will be able to get a leave but It may not be long enough to get home on.  If I don't get enough time to get home on I won't take any leave at all and stay on the ship.  The reason Im telling you is that I especially Don't want Betty to know it.  I didn't know it enough ahead of time and Instead of saving my money I have been sending it home to Betty.  Instead of having Betty send me the money I am going to have you or Dad send me enough to get home on and then I'll pay you back as soon as I get home.  After I know how many days leave Im going to get I write you if I know ahead of time, long enough to write to you.  If I don't have time to write I'll send Dad a wire and he can wire the money back  I'll tell you how much I need and where to send it to after I find out more about it.
If I don't get the chance to write and instead send a wire you explain it to Dad and keep it a secret as much as possible.  I might have enough money to get home on now, but it will be lot cheaper to buy a round trip ticket.
If I know enough ahead of time so I can write to you, you catch Dad some place by him self and tell him what I want the money for and I'll tell you how to send it.  Don't let Russel know about it because he can't keep it a secret.
So Long for Now.  Hope to see you soon.
Sincerely 
Brother Dick
Donald E.

USS Harwood D.D. 861
San Francisco Calif. 

USS Harwood D.D. 861

 One day this week, mom had me look up her Uncle Harold who fought in WWII.  I found an article that said Uncle Harold wanted to be in the navy when he was drafted, but they would not take him, due to fact that he wore glasses.  So he ended up in the army, in the 80th Division, with the Blue Ridge Division.  Long story short, they were in the Battle of the Bulge.  And can you believe it?!  Uncle Harold saw Gen. George Patton several times!  Uncle Harold was on foot while Gen. Patton rode in a jeep. Because of Coronal Harold's supreme action during a battle that ended in a whole Nazi battalion being destroyed, he was awarded the Bronze Star!

  Don't you just love family history?!  I don't think I will ever get tired of studying my family.  

Due to my sudden interest in WWII, I  decided to try to achieve 'the look' of the 1940's by putting my hair up and wrapping a handkerchief around it. 

I don't look like Minny Mouse, do I?

Turned out pretty good, I think!  Now all I need is some red finger nail polish and lip stick, a pair of ladies vintage overalls, and I'm ready to go work on some B-24 bomber, while I listen to Bing Cosby, Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra on the radio.

P.S.  The soundtrack for Pearl Harbor is great to listen to as you read this post.  

Pearl Harbor

Mom, dad and I watched the film Pearl Harbor last night.  Wow!  What. A. Movie!  I enjoyed the first part.  The scene where Rafe gets hit in the nose with the wine cork struck my funny bone and sent me into a snickering fit for a minute or two.  Even now, to think back on it brings a smile and giggle.  Poor guy.  I'm sure it really hurt.

My sister said she had a hard time watching the part where Danny and Rafe are trying to help get the trapped sailors out of the ship, especially when they are holding hands and the water starts to bubble up.  I sat there, almost spellbound by that scene.  I don't know what it is about it that captivates me . . .

I did not like all the battle scenes, nor the shots filmed under water or from in the planes.  They were so . . . real(?) . . . I was afraid I would get motion sickness.  I could not breath too well with all the underwater shots; I severely dislike large areas of water that is deeper then my knees. 

 I was able to watch the battle scenes without crying.  But at the end when it showed Danny's little son with the flowers, a tear or two escaped.   It reminded me of my little niece, Natasha.  I wonder how tall she is now.  I miss her sweet little hugs.  And her laugh.  And the way she points at anything and everything as she says "Da?" 

 Due to watching Pearl Harbor I am full of questions, regarding war.  I have dug out some of the history books mom kept, in hopes of finding answers.  I asked dad about the war when he got home from work today.
"Why didn't Grandpa get drafted?"  "He was going to be, but somehow they [the government] found out that I was on the way, and he didn't have to go." Dad answered.
Grandpa had four brothers, so I started asking about them. "What about Uncle Russel?".  "He had heart problems, so he couldn't go."
"Uncle Dick was in the navy; was he drafted?"
"Yah, he was drafted.  The ship he was on came this close [help up hands less then a foot apart] from hitting a mine and getting "poof" . . . blown up."  That was a new piece of news to me! 

 I admire the men who went through that horrible day.  I am thankful for their sacrifice, both then and now.  They do so much to protect us and keep us free . . . seems like we don't do enough to pay them back.

P.S. Aren't the actors handsome?

A Brother

Today while I was doing the dishes at work I dreamed of what my older brother would be like, if I had one.  I know, it's a little silly to think of what a person would be like, but it is one of the many things I think of during the hour and a half of dishes (twice a day) I do at work.

So here is a list of what my brother, Timothy Lloyd would be like:

• Tim (that's what we'd call him) would be two years older than me. (24, but that's the same age as Janel . . . hm . . .  maybe they'd be twins.
• He would be over six feet tall (it runs in the family).

The best picture of Grandpa (Lloyd) and Dad I have on my laptop.

• He would have been home schooled, and then gone to a little college in the hills that teaches chain saw carving. (That's his hobby.)
• His first job would have been working at Tractor Supply, and that's when he started listening to country music (which mom doesn't really like).
• He would have "real" muscles from working on a farm; lifting hay/straw bales, cutting wood, building fence, milking cows, etc.  (Fake muscles are the kind one gets from working out at the gym.)
• He would play the trombone, piano and guitar.  He would be able to sing tenor and bass.
• He would have brown hair (styled like Anthony Perkins hair in Friendly Persuasion) and blue eyes.  

One of my favorite movies!

• He would have a farmers tan, but next year he'll roll his sleeves up.
• We would go to Civil War reenactments together,  (he would drive) and I would take pictures of him with my camera hidden underneath a handkerchief.

Zoar Ohio 2011

• He would be a man of his word, and have a firm hand shake.
• He would be a 'meat and potatoes' kind of guy.
• He would be a gentleman.
• He would protect his sisters.
• He could be a prankster at times.
• He would not be embarrassed to learn ball room dancing.
• He would have a fun and easy going personality; 'easy to get to know' kind of guy.
• A devout Christian, who does not make any decision without praying about it. The Lord is first and foremost in his life. 

Tim would fit in really well with dad and Daniel (brother-in-law).

• He would be well groomed and neatly dressed when going out.
• He would be left handed. :)
• He would not be perfect.
• Timothy would be my brother.

I could go on and on about my brother. But unfortunately, Timothy only lives in my dreams.  I had better wake up and get back to real life.

The End.