We have been really busy this summer. I finished my summer class American Government and Politics. I was the oldest Republican in my class. There were only 2 Republicans in our class. I think the professor was but she has to be impartial about these things. Anyway, I made an A.
My job is changing a little bit. There are 3 parts to my job and my area only did the middle part. We are going to learn parts 1 and 3 for 2 weeks starting August 18.
Grace and I went to the beach on 7/9-11. It was supposed to be a girls relaxing time. We were going to get my mom from Hernando, FL and take her with us. Something came up and she could not go. But, I did take my cousin Yvonne with me. I am so proud of her. She is an alcoholic and has been sober for 1 year! What an accomplishment. My A in American Govt doesn't even compare. Her mom was my mom's sister, Carrie. Aunt Carrie died the end of April. Anyway, we stayed on St. Pete Beach at the Travelodge. I haven't been to the beach since Grace was about 5 yrs old. I put 50 sunblock on and a hat and a t shirt (underneath my bathing suit) and only got a little burned on my back at the most uncomfortable place, right where my straps belong. And my freckles (that I work so hard to hide) are darker. We ate at PJ Seafood House and it is the best seafood I have eaten in a long time. Beats Red Lobster!. I didn't get any pictures, we forgot the cameras but we got souvenir cups from the restaurant.
My neighborhood is having a yard sale on 8/2 at Duran Park from 10 to 3. We have 3 parks in our neighborhood and it is the one with the basketball court, near the Fransican Center. Grace and I have been sorting through unworn clothes, shoes, coats and all the other stuff we need to get rid of.
The next Saturday (8/9) is our neighborhood S.W.E.E.P. That is where you can put out the stuff you need to take to the landfill (except paint cans and construction materials)on the edge of your front yard and the sanitation department will pick it up. There is a list of the items they will and will not take on the Tampa Waste Dept. website. The night before you ride in our neighborhood and see mounds of old furniture and other stuff sitting out and then usually by 12 pm the next day, the neighborhood is clean again.
Grace and I are going to Wilmington, NC for labor day weekend. She is going to meet David's family - mom, dad, brother, grandparents, etc. I will be meeting them too as well as David. David went to Crown and he had to leave because of financial reasons. His birthday is that weekend as well as his dad's and they are having one big birthday party.
Grace hasn't blogged in a while, She will be going to Florida Baptist College next year, so we have orientation on the 29th and then we will be back in time for her to get enough sleep to start classes on Tuesday 9/2. It will be a busy weekend but I know that God is in it.
That was weird! I was in the middle of this and my screen went blank. I looked around the computer and my power cord came unplugged from the unit itself. Someone doesn't want me to post anything. Wonder who?
Anyway, I was wrapping this up and wanted to wish everyone a safe rest of the summer. Tomorrow is my favorite day of the week Sunday!
until the next time.
God Bless you and God save America!
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Bowden, Elbert Richard
WAKEFIELD, VA
Elbert Richard Bowden, 82, peacefully passed away on Saturday, June 21, 2008, at his home in Wakefield. Born Aug. 26, 1925 in Zuni, he was the son of the late Solomon Richard and Grace Pittman Bowden. Mr. Bowden was a retired truck driver.
He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Charlotte Freeman Bowden; his daughter, Deborah B. Bartley and her husband, Robert of Wakefield; four sons, Richard F. Bowden, Walter "Dallas" Bowden and his wife, Sandy, and Robert P. Bowden, all of Wakefield, and David L. Bowden and Tracy Dorman of Chesapeake; a brother, Andrew A. Bowden and his wife, Kay of Smithfield; a sister-in-law, Mary Bowden of Windsor; six grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by two sisters, Virginia Wuska and Alice Sheffield; and two brothers, Harold Dean Bowden and Daniel Bowden.
Mr. Bowden served in the U.S. Navy during World War II in the European Theatre. He was a member of the Virginia Tractor Pullers' Association, Wakefield Sportsmen's Club, and Bent Barrel Hunt Club and was a past member of Tucker Swamp Hunt Club.
A graveside service with military rites will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, June 23, 2008, in Wakefield Cemetery with the Rev. Jim Kerr officiating. The family will receive friends at the residence.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Wakefield Volunteer Fire Department, 155 Fleetwood Ave., Wakefield, VA 23888 or the Waverly Volunteer Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 318, Waverly, VA 23890.
Uncle Elbert or as Grace affectionately called him "Uncle Baldy" was married 60 years. He served in WWII and was on one of the boats that stormed Normandy Beach. He also was on a boat that was on Omaha beach. He also served his country at Pearl Harbor but he wasn't there on December 7th. I knew he was in the Navy during WWII but thought he was in the Pacific theatre. I found out the information about Normandy from Grace, who got it from her grandfather, while they were watching Saving Private Ryan. Margie told me about Pearl Harbor and Omaha beach.
Please be in much prayer for my uncle's family, especially Aunt Charlotte.
Also pray for my uncle Andy, he is the only surviving child of 9 children. He is not very healthy after having a heart attack and 2 strokes and he didn't take this well. He is a Christian but there is still an emptiness that only God can heal in His time.
Also, pray for the family of Graham Smith, who is my cousin Margie's cousin's husband. He die the same day as my uncle's funeral. In fact, he was in his garden picking vegetables before he got ready to go to my uncle's service.
Elbert Richard Bowden, 82, peacefully passed away on Saturday, June 21, 2008, at his home in Wakefield. Born Aug. 26, 1925 in Zuni, he was the son of the late Solomon Richard and Grace Pittman Bowden. Mr. Bowden was a retired truck driver.
He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Charlotte Freeman Bowden; his daughter, Deborah B. Bartley and her husband, Robert of Wakefield; four sons, Richard F. Bowden, Walter "Dallas" Bowden and his wife, Sandy, and Robert P. Bowden, all of Wakefield, and David L. Bowden and Tracy Dorman of Chesapeake; a brother, Andrew A. Bowden and his wife, Kay of Smithfield; a sister-in-law, Mary Bowden of Windsor; six grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by two sisters, Virginia Wuska and Alice Sheffield; and two brothers, Harold Dean Bowden and Daniel Bowden.
Mr. Bowden served in the U.S. Navy during World War II in the European Theatre. He was a member of the Virginia Tractor Pullers' Association, Wakefield Sportsmen's Club, and Bent Barrel Hunt Club and was a past member of Tucker Swamp Hunt Club.
A graveside service with military rites will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, June 23, 2008, in Wakefield Cemetery with the Rev. Jim Kerr officiating. The family will receive friends at the residence.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Wakefield Volunteer Fire Department, 155 Fleetwood Ave., Wakefield, VA 23888 or the Waverly Volunteer Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 318, Waverly, VA 23890.
Uncle Elbert or as Grace affectionately called him "Uncle Baldy" was married 60 years. He served in WWII and was on one of the boats that stormed Normandy Beach. He also was on a boat that was on Omaha beach. He also served his country at Pearl Harbor but he wasn't there on December 7th. I knew he was in the Navy during WWII but thought he was in the Pacific theatre. I found out the information about Normandy from Grace, who got it from her grandfather, while they were watching Saving Private Ryan. Margie told me about Pearl Harbor and Omaha beach.
Please be in much prayer for my uncle's family, especially Aunt Charlotte.
Also pray for my uncle Andy, he is the only surviving child of 9 children. He is not very healthy after having a heart attack and 2 strokes and he didn't take this well. He is a Christian but there is still an emptiness that only God can heal in His time.
Also, pray for the family of Graham Smith, who is my cousin Margie's cousin's husband. He die the same day as my uncle's funeral. In fact, he was in his garden picking vegetables before he got ready to go to my uncle's service.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Happy Father's Day!
Yesterday was kind of a hard day for me. You see, my daddy went to heaven 2 years ago. I have to tell a cute story. Since daddy died, I haven't changed our voice mail. Just personal reasons that are not my main focus of my post today. My Aunt Sandy (mom's sister) calls and if she gets the answering machine, she always says Dan how are you tell Missy I called and see in Heaven, when I get there. Well, yesterday when she called, she said Happy Father's Day in Heaven, Dan. I thought that was so sweet.
So, instead of feeling sorry for myself, I got to thinking about the men that are in my life. Thanks for all you do.
First of all my other "daddy": the one I yearn to be closer to. The one I take advantage of every day but need to get to know better than I do. The one that spoke the earth into existence, the one who lets me live in HIS word. And the one who the world is trying soo hard to get rid of - in every one's mind, neighborhoods, schools, courts and country.
God.
Everyone takes HIM for granted everyday. We wake up, do our morning routine and go to work (yes, sah mom's work too). Maybe part of our routine is to read the Bible and pray but do we always take the time to read the Bible like we should - reading and meditating or do we read the required verses in our daily devotion book, think about them for a minute and then go back to our hectic lives ? Do we always take the time to pray like we should - weeping and crying over the lost - including our country? Remember, we are not too busy or God can give us all the time in the world to be able to get closer to HIM? He gave us the sun, moon and stars, he can give us more time.
I have so much more to say about this and wished the words would just come out of my fingertips to type them.
I am thankful to God for everything He has given me. My daughter, Grace. She is my sunshine and has been my whole life for the past 21 years. I can't believe that she is all grown up. In more ways than one (meaning maturity). I am thankful that she said about 10 years ago can we go to that church where Cara goes and does crafts with Miss Ebbie? We went and haven't left. Everyone knows that it was supposed to be to make Grace be quiet and leave me alone about church.
I am thankful for my other father figure, my pastor. My pastor and my daddy are about the same age (June to October difference) as well as my mother and My pastor's wife (mom is from December to February older). So I look at them as my 2nd parents as my mom is 2 hrs away. They have been such a help in the past 2 yrs they will never know. Anyway, shouldn't a pastor be like a father figure to his congregation no matter what their age. He (as far as I am concerned) is upholding his job, given to him by God, well. Thank you Pastor.
Now, to all my other male friends who are fathers:
I have to start with Brother Gay Chesser. Julee (his wife is one of my best friends). They are both good Christian people to talk with and each time we all get a chance to talk they are such a blessing to me. Brother Gay's brother, Marshall just had a kidney removed and what a surprise! God performed another miracle. He was home within 3 days of the operation when the surgeon's said that there was a chance with his health problems that he may not make it. What a testimony! There was such a sweet spirit when he told us this yesterday morning in church.
I have to add Brother Ron Worley to this too. God has performed a miracle in his life also. He was dying and waiting for a liver and he got to help Grace paint her room Saturday. Well, he actually told her to get out of the room or he would paint her. He was nice about it when he said it. He saved about 3 hrs of time and struggle and it looks great!. Still have some extra touches that Grace needs to do but when it is done, I will post pictures.
Brother David Dean. What a great person he is. His wife Vera has had several rounds of chemotherapy and he has high blood pressure but he still loads up his van with grandchildren and they come to church. Usually he has about 6 of the 12 with him. He spent countless hours helping to fix our air conditioner at church and when he is honored for his time and work he says that it is the Lord who gets all the credit.
All of my uncles... Elbert, Andy, Leo and John Paul. I don't know Elbert and Andy too well. They are my dad's brothers. They are older and live in VA. We didn't live there after I was 13 yrs old, so I didn't see them as often as I should but they always are ready to see me with open arms. Elbert is now in a nursing home and may have lung cancer (they are waiting on the test results). He and my Aunt Charlotte will be married 60 years in July. He was a truck driver and kind of rough around the edges but he raised 4 boys and a girl that have children and grandchildren of their own. Andy has 2 children and 4 grandchildren of his own. 2 step daughters and they have children of their own. Uncle Andy was married 2 times before he found the right lady, Kay. They were married 27 years ago.
Leo has been married to my Aunt Sandy for over 20 yrs. Leo is 82 yrs old but acts like he is 1/2 his age. I really like to be around him. He has good advice and you can see how much he loves Sandra (her real name). You can see him read his Bible devotion everyday (he uses Our Daily Bread). He doesn't do anything until that gets done. I have gotten to know them so much better in the last 10 years.
John Paul is my mother's brother. I didn't know him that well, because we moved when I was 13. I remember as a child before he and his wife Sonia had children they used to take me to see Disney on Ice. I enjoyed going every year for my birthday. I was the flower girl in their wedding, but I don't remember any of it. Yes, I have been in a wedding before in my life. But only this one. I went to VA during Thanksgiving when I was in college and stayed at their house. I babysat for their 2 children and got paid. He has 4 grandchildren. He owns his own pest control company and used to be in the brochure for Busch Gardens Williamsburg. One of his main contracts was Busch Gardens. Now, his daughter runs the family business in VA and his son has a business in CO. He and his wife have been married around 40 yrs. Oops! I told my age again.
There are so many more people that deserve to be honored, especially the men of our church, I did thank God for all not mentioned yesterday.
Everyone have a great time.
Until I post again.
So, instead of feeling sorry for myself, I got to thinking about the men that are in my life. Thanks for all you do.
First of all my other "daddy": the one I yearn to be closer to. The one I take advantage of every day but need to get to know better than I do. The one that spoke the earth into existence, the one who lets me live in HIS word. And the one who the world is trying soo hard to get rid of - in every one's mind, neighborhoods, schools, courts and country.
God.
Everyone takes HIM for granted everyday. We wake up, do our morning routine and go to work (yes, sah mom's work too). Maybe part of our routine is to read the Bible and pray but do we always take the time to read the Bible like we should - reading and meditating or do we read the required verses in our daily devotion book, think about them for a minute and then go back to our hectic lives ? Do we always take the time to pray like we should - weeping and crying over the lost - including our country? Remember, we are not too busy or God can give us all the time in the world to be able to get closer to HIM? He gave us the sun, moon and stars, he can give us more time.
I have so much more to say about this and wished the words would just come out of my fingertips to type them.
I am thankful to God for everything He has given me. My daughter, Grace. She is my sunshine and has been my whole life for the past 21 years. I can't believe that she is all grown up. In more ways than one (meaning maturity). I am thankful that she said about 10 years ago can we go to that church where Cara goes and does crafts with Miss Ebbie? We went and haven't left. Everyone knows that it was supposed to be to make Grace be quiet and leave me alone about church.
I am thankful for my other father figure, my pastor. My pastor and my daddy are about the same age (June to October difference) as well as my mother and My pastor's wife (mom is from December to February older). So I look at them as my 2nd parents as my mom is 2 hrs away. They have been such a help in the past 2 yrs they will never know. Anyway, shouldn't a pastor be like a father figure to his congregation no matter what their age. He (as far as I am concerned) is upholding his job, given to him by God, well. Thank you Pastor.
Now, to all my other male friends who are fathers:
I have to start with Brother Gay Chesser. Julee (his wife is one of my best friends). They are both good Christian people to talk with and each time we all get a chance to talk they are such a blessing to me. Brother Gay's brother, Marshall just had a kidney removed and what a surprise! God performed another miracle. He was home within 3 days of the operation when the surgeon's said that there was a chance with his health problems that he may not make it. What a testimony! There was such a sweet spirit when he told us this yesterday morning in church.
I have to add Brother Ron Worley to this too. God has performed a miracle in his life also. He was dying and waiting for a liver and he got to help Grace paint her room Saturday. Well, he actually told her to get out of the room or he would paint her. He was nice about it when he said it. He saved about 3 hrs of time and struggle and it looks great!. Still have some extra touches that Grace needs to do but when it is done, I will post pictures.
Brother David Dean. What a great person he is. His wife Vera has had several rounds of chemotherapy and he has high blood pressure but he still loads up his van with grandchildren and they come to church. Usually he has about 6 of the 12 with him. He spent countless hours helping to fix our air conditioner at church and when he is honored for his time and work he says that it is the Lord who gets all the credit.
All of my uncles... Elbert, Andy, Leo and John Paul. I don't know Elbert and Andy too well. They are my dad's brothers. They are older and live in VA. We didn't live there after I was 13 yrs old, so I didn't see them as often as I should but they always are ready to see me with open arms. Elbert is now in a nursing home and may have lung cancer (they are waiting on the test results). He and my Aunt Charlotte will be married 60 years in July. He was a truck driver and kind of rough around the edges but he raised 4 boys and a girl that have children and grandchildren of their own. Andy has 2 children and 4 grandchildren of his own. 2 step daughters and they have children of their own. Uncle Andy was married 2 times before he found the right lady, Kay. They were married 27 years ago.
Leo has been married to my Aunt Sandy for over 20 yrs. Leo is 82 yrs old but acts like he is 1/2 his age. I really like to be around him. He has good advice and you can see how much he loves Sandra (her real name). You can see him read his Bible devotion everyday (he uses Our Daily Bread). He doesn't do anything until that gets done. I have gotten to know them so much better in the last 10 years.
John Paul is my mother's brother. I didn't know him that well, because we moved when I was 13. I remember as a child before he and his wife Sonia had children they used to take me to see Disney on Ice. I enjoyed going every year for my birthday. I was the flower girl in their wedding, but I don't remember any of it. Yes, I have been in a wedding before in my life. But only this one. I went to VA during Thanksgiving when I was in college and stayed at their house. I babysat for their 2 children and got paid. He has 4 grandchildren. He owns his own pest control company and used to be in the brochure for Busch Gardens Williamsburg. One of his main contracts was Busch Gardens. Now, his daughter runs the family business in VA and his son has a business in CO. He and his wife have been married around 40 yrs. Oops! I told my age again.
There are so many more people that deserve to be honored, especially the men of our church, I did thank God for all not mentioned yesterday.
Everyone have a great time.
Until I post again.
Friday, June 13, 2008
I am alive!
I know I haven't blogged in like forever.. Everyone who reads my blog either will probably block me from reading theirs or keep sending comments on other blogs to post. Well... this is the hectic life I lead.
I am still working from home. They decided to make our jobs (what they say) easier by auditing us. Problem is... the audits don't know how to do our jobs and they are only going by an antiqued piece of paper that was prohibited (by former supervisors) to use. We have had 4 "training sessions" to learn how to do this. The training goes like this: ok, print the info you were given and here look at it on the computer while I go over it (trainer just reads it). Then, we stop to ask questions the reply is "We'll have to get back to you with that." My hair is literally falling out. I want to do the job to the best of my ability but don't know how to do it anymore because they don't know how to tell us how. Confused? I surely am. Then in the mix we are going to be able to do the whole job instead of the minute portion we do now. More money? Don't know but there is a blessing in that. I am truly blessed to be able to work from home in my pjs. Right now, the overtime is minimal but that is OK. I am not spending extra money to go to the gas station and that is a raise in itself and once I learn the new part of the job (those trainers know the job) I can more opportunities for overtime. 'Nuf about work.
Spanky turned 2 years old, yesterday. It seems like yesterday he was just a pup. To celebrate we had steak for dinner and he got just a little piece. I bought him a new pin monkey stuffed animal. He played with it and when he got tired he put it on the couch next to him and fell asleep. Will be sending pictures soon.
Still going to school, taking American government and politics. Classes end on 6/24/08. It is very interesting to be the only person who knew that Nixon wasn't impeached (he resigned, for all you young ones out there) that Bill Clinton was. And to believe that the best candidate for our country (at this time) is John McCain. Just hope his speeches don't get him in trouble. You know how the press is, they will turn everything around to be either for or against you. I just hope that the media has already "hand-picked" the right man.
Grace will be painting her Sunday School class today and tomorrow. She wants to brighten up the classroom. She got advice from Ron Worley (paint expert) and it should be interesting as she doesn't need my help. My! has she grown up and has it been hard to let go.
Pray for my dad's brother Elbert and his family. He has pneumonia that hasn't cleared up with antibiotics and my aunt Charlotte thinks it is something worse - like lung cancer. The doctors are having tests run and I haven't gotten the results. He is 82 years old and a smoker. He's not eating and has oxygen on 100% of the time.
Let's see we have discussed my current events and politics, so I need to go back to work. Hopefully, I can post a little more often.
And by the way,
Congratulations Josh and Naomy!
I am still working from home. They decided to make our jobs (what they say) easier by auditing us. Problem is... the audits don't know how to do our jobs and they are only going by an antiqued piece of paper that was prohibited (by former supervisors) to use. We have had 4 "training sessions" to learn how to do this. The training goes like this: ok, print the info you were given and here look at it on the computer while I go over it (trainer just reads it). Then, we stop to ask questions the reply is "We'll have to get back to you with that." My hair is literally falling out. I want to do the job to the best of my ability but don't know how to do it anymore because they don't know how to tell us how. Confused? I surely am. Then in the mix we are going to be able to do the whole job instead of the minute portion we do now. More money? Don't know but there is a blessing in that. I am truly blessed to be able to work from home in my pjs. Right now, the overtime is minimal but that is OK. I am not spending extra money to go to the gas station and that is a raise in itself and once I learn the new part of the job (those trainers know the job) I can more opportunities for overtime. 'Nuf about work.
Spanky turned 2 years old, yesterday. It seems like yesterday he was just a pup. To celebrate we had steak for dinner and he got just a little piece. I bought him a new pin monkey stuffed animal. He played with it and when he got tired he put it on the couch next to him and fell asleep. Will be sending pictures soon.
Still going to school, taking American government and politics. Classes end on 6/24/08. It is very interesting to be the only person who knew that Nixon wasn't impeached (he resigned, for all you young ones out there) that Bill Clinton was. And to believe that the best candidate for our country (at this time) is John McCain. Just hope his speeches don't get him in trouble. You know how the press is, they will turn everything around to be either for or against you. I just hope that the media has already "hand-picked" the right man.
Grace will be painting her Sunday School class today and tomorrow. She wants to brighten up the classroom. She got advice from Ron Worley (paint expert) and it should be interesting as she doesn't need my help. My! has she grown up and has it been hard to let go.
Pray for my dad's brother Elbert and his family. He has pneumonia that hasn't cleared up with antibiotics and my aunt Charlotte thinks it is something worse - like lung cancer. The doctors are having tests run and I haven't gotten the results. He is 82 years old and a smoker. He's not eating and has oxygen on 100% of the time.
Let's see we have discussed my current events and politics, so I need to go back to work. Hopefully, I can post a little more often.
And by the way,
Congratulations Josh and Naomy!
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Thursday, April 24, 2008
A real bargain @ only $3.51 per gallon
Well, I figured I needed to put gas in the car again. I was down to 1/2 tank and figured I had better fill up while I could still afford it. IT TOOK $40.00 TO FILL IT 1/2 WAY!!!!
This time it was $.08 per gallon more. Woo Hoo!! (Note the sense of sarcasm) I went to the BP station and used my debit card. If you use the debit card at the station @ MLK and Armenia, you don't have to pay the extra $.03 per gallon like you do at most stations with a credit card.
As I went to the gym today, I thought I saw $3.91 per gallon at the Sunoco station and I tried to take a picture with my cell phone. It wasn't clear enough to save so I think that one of the LED lights on the sign is stuck on, making the cost appear to be $3.91 per gallon. I think that it is $3.51 per gallon because the Hess station across the street was $3.53 per gallon.
Yes, Pam, I can blog more in one week than you!!! Nanny nanny boo boo!!
This time it was $.08 per gallon more. Woo Hoo!! (Note the sense of sarcasm) I went to the BP station and used my debit card. If you use the debit card at the station @ MLK and Armenia, you don't have to pay the extra $.03 per gallon like you do at most stations with a credit card.
As I went to the gym today, I thought I saw $3.91 per gallon at the Sunoco station and I tried to take a picture with my cell phone. It wasn't clear enough to save so I think that one of the LED lights on the sign is stuck on, making the cost appear to be $3.91 per gallon. I think that it is $3.51 per gallon because the Hess station across the street was $3.53 per gallon.
Yes, Pam, I can blog more in one week than you!!! Nanny nanny boo boo!!
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Aunt Carrie and Uncle Charlie are together again.
My Aunt Carrie died this afternoon at 2:30pm to be exact. She would have been 83 years old on May 31st. Aunt Carrie has been a special lady in my life.
My mother was born on December 23, 1942 and my Aunt Carrie named her. Donna Maria.
My Aunt Carrie
wasn't even 5' tall but she acted like she was 10' tall. She was a very strong willed woman but she taught me a lot about how to care for my family.
Each summer from 1975 - 1981, we would go to Florida to stay at her home. I remember waking up early a lot of mornings and watch her cook breakfast for my Uncle Charlie so he could go to work. He had to be at work around 7 am so she was up really early to make him eggs, sausage, gravy and biscuits. I don't remember homemade biscuits, they were canned but I do remember getting to eat the leftovers that she would leave on the stove. At supper time, I can always remember her cutting up my Uncle Charlie's meat. I decided to ask her one day why he couldn't do that himself. She said, "He works all day and he is the head of the house, remember that Missy when you get married that it is important to make your husband happy. This makes him happy." She always taught me to treat the man of the house with respect, even when you feel like he doesn't deserve it. Even though, I haven't married yet, I always treated my daddy with the utmost respect. Yes, daddy and I had verbal differences but when it came down to it, I never did disrespect him.
I remember the coffee pot always on. She was always ready to share a cup of coffee and she didn't waste a drop. If it got cold, she would pour the coffee right back through the coffee pot and sometimes it was so strong that only she could drink it.
Her door was always open for anyone who entered.
I remember the late nights, playing Canasta after we (Yvonne, her, my mom and I) would take turns bouncing Grace on our knees to get her to go to sleep because of colic. You would always have to be Aunt Carrie's Canasta partner because if you sat to her right, you would feed her the right card so she could win the game or if you sat to her left, then she would freeze the pot or lay down a card that couldn't be used by anyone. She liked to win at card games.
She helped raise my mother, me, my brothers, my daughter, her son's daughter and son. She adopted two girls and she raised them from infants. Between the 2 of them, they had 11 children. And 3 of those 11 children have 5 children of their own (between them). Every one knew her as nanny. She was either a mother figure or nanny to everyone.
She taught me how to make gravy. I still can't do it as well as she could. But now everytime I try to make gravy, I will think of her.
She taught me to keep my door open and be ready to feed someone when they visit. No matter who they are or what time they show up.
She also taught me that all my freckles were angel kisses. And to think that when the kids teased me at school for having freckles.
I also remember the most important thing she taught me. Take your children to church. Don't send them. How are they going to learn to go to church when they get older. Aunt Carrie didn't go to church but she always made sure that Uncle Charlie had his suit and tie ready and his shirt was ironed. Aunt Carrie and I never talked much about spiritual things because we never got the chance once I got saved and she got sick. She did tell me she was saved and that she was going to heaven when she died. My pastor used to visit my Uncle Charlie after he had his stroke, before he went into a nursing home and he would talk with my Aunt Carrie. Pastor told me that he said she told him she was saved.
She loved to watch: Perry Mason, Diagnosis Murder and Air Wolf, but mostly she loved her family.
I will miss her but I know she isn't suffering anymore.
My mother was born on December 23, 1942 and my Aunt Carrie named her. Donna Maria.
My Aunt Carrie
wasn't even 5' tall but she acted like she was 10' tall. She was a very strong willed woman but she taught me a lot about how to care for my family.
Each summer from 1975 - 1981, we would go to Florida to stay at her home. I remember waking up early a lot of mornings and watch her cook breakfast for my Uncle Charlie so he could go to work. He had to be at work around 7 am so she was up really early to make him eggs, sausage, gravy and biscuits. I don't remember homemade biscuits, they were canned but I do remember getting to eat the leftovers that she would leave on the stove. At supper time, I can always remember her cutting up my Uncle Charlie's meat. I decided to ask her one day why he couldn't do that himself. She said, "He works all day and he is the head of the house, remember that Missy when you get married that it is important to make your husband happy. This makes him happy." She always taught me to treat the man of the house with respect, even when you feel like he doesn't deserve it. Even though, I haven't married yet, I always treated my daddy with the utmost respect. Yes, daddy and I had verbal differences but when it came down to it, I never did disrespect him.
I remember the coffee pot always on. She was always ready to share a cup of coffee and she didn't waste a drop. If it got cold, she would pour the coffee right back through the coffee pot and sometimes it was so strong that only she could drink it.
Her door was always open for anyone who entered.
I remember the late nights, playing Canasta after we (Yvonne, her, my mom and I) would take turns bouncing Grace on our knees to get her to go to sleep because of colic. You would always have to be Aunt Carrie's Canasta partner because if you sat to her right, you would feed her the right card so she could win the game or if you sat to her left, then she would freeze the pot or lay down a card that couldn't be used by anyone. She liked to win at card games.
She helped raise my mother, me, my brothers, my daughter, her son's daughter and son. She adopted two girls and she raised them from infants. Between the 2 of them, they had 11 children. And 3 of those 11 children have 5 children of their own (between them). Every one knew her as nanny. She was either a mother figure or nanny to everyone.
She taught me how to make gravy. I still can't do it as well as she could. But now everytime I try to make gravy, I will think of her.
She taught me to keep my door open and be ready to feed someone when they visit. No matter who they are or what time they show up.
She also taught me that all my freckles were angel kisses. And to think that when the kids teased me at school for having freckles.
I also remember the most important thing she taught me. Take your children to church. Don't send them. How are they going to learn to go to church when they get older. Aunt Carrie didn't go to church but she always made sure that Uncle Charlie had his suit and tie ready and his shirt was ironed. Aunt Carrie and I never talked much about spiritual things because we never got the chance once I got saved and she got sick. She did tell me she was saved and that she was going to heaven when she died. My pastor used to visit my Uncle Charlie after he had his stroke, before he went into a nursing home and he would talk with my Aunt Carrie. Pastor told me that he said she told him she was saved.
She loved to watch: Perry Mason, Diagnosis Murder and Air Wolf, but mostly she loved her family.
I will miss her but I know she isn't suffering anymore.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)