Dad & His Jehovah Witness Friend Linda

Dad and a Jehovah Witness friend have been friends and having these discussions on life and the Savior for about the last year or so. Her name is Linda and she comes around about every few months or so and she and dad talk. Dad is polite and a real gentleman as they chat about a number of topics. Linda commented how most people won't even talk with them. She was surprised that dad would. She found him to be quite knowledgeable on the scriptures , the Bible for one so they have continued meeting and talking on the front porch now for several months. Again today she came and they talked. Dad this time gave her a B. of M. after quoting some bible scriptures to her that she was familiar with and he ask her what she thought and this time she let dad talk more and she did the listening . Will see where this story goes? I think she is impressed with dad and how well he understands the scriptures and they do seem to click. Dad stays calm and they seem to agree on alot , they seem to have a good repore with each other. Its like a story unfolding that will go on and on and one day she will come back again and perhaps , just maybe she will want some answers and dad will be waiting.

My musical children

Will add pictures here of all the kids and instruments they played
as soon as I locate them.


I tryed to get all my kids to play the piano when growing up. I didn't feel I had the time or skill but think I had all of them take lessons except maybe Stacey and Jen, and if nothing else , wanted them to play an instrument in school . think all did. Will get that list together and add it to this post.
Wanted my children to experience a good family life which I never had and be happy to be in a home where there was love. Wanted them to develope their talents. Wanted them to feel good about the fact that they could achieve something , have a talent at doing something they might really learn to enjoy one day.ha. Some did , some didn't. I guess I missed out on alot in my growing up years because we were too poor to do much but just survive. Today Angie plays the piano and loves it , Leslie had a short lived singing career and enjoys her music even today. the whole family today all enjoy music emicily. Like their dad they all love their music ! Dad could listen to music non stop! Seriously. if he had the time. He has a wide range of different music he listens to and said to me one day" it would be a sad if there were no music in the world."

Glen Beck on loving America

Been hearing alot about Glen Beck lately and he is on fire about returning to the values our country was founded on. If you listen to the Presidents from long ago and then hear them today you can't help but hear a difference.
He is on Fox News . He is a little out there but he loves this country!! Alot of what he says makes sense. He wants us to step up , speak out and take back America!

Dad and Frank

These two men are alot alike.
Frank, on right is our neighbor, he is 86 years old. He runs the circle here in our neigborhood near everyday and works daily in his yard keeping it neat and tidy and also maintains his neighbor Sarah's yard who is 96 and lives beside him. Anyway, I feel Frank and dad are alot alike for many reasons. They have strong personalities and don't like it when they can't solve a problem. You know what they say, birds of a feather flock together. ha! Both are very intelligent men, and know quite a bit. However there is a few differences about them, Frank is a little bit neater in his appearance than dad, tidy I guess you would say. He likes even his yard to be neat in appearance and works on it daily keeping it looking nice and tidy!
Now dad on the other hand doesn't spend much time with his overall looks . Actually can't even get him to go get a haircut anymore,ugh! he cuts it himself and calls that good enough! The only time he really is concerned about his appearance at all, is on Sunday morning. He will shave and comb his hair and dress up some. As my sister Donna says " Joe doesn't have a vain bone in his body." she got that right! ha.

WHAT'S IN THOSE PILLS?

My last couple wks. have been crazy! I had a tooth pulled and the doc gave me two prescriptions, one for amoxicillin and other was hydrocodone. So went to drug store had them filled and got home and took both. WOW! Did I ever have a reaction from the hydrocodone pill. Later realized it was not to taken on a empty stomach BUT NO MATTER I think a pill that strong should not be taken by anyone!! I was dizzy, nauseated , head was pounding, an over whelming feeling that my head would bust wide open any min. ,it was so awful I can't explain just how bad it was! So bad that I wondered if it did any damage to my brain? The doc ask if I was allergic to anything and of course I said no cause never had any problems before. I thought i was going to die and felt like I wanted to. This happened two days before I had to have Relief Society social at the church ready, Stacey going off to Texas, just lots of small stuff going on. I thought that week would never end. Life can be pretty tough at times , and we just never know what each day will bring. I think I have had my share of pain for awhile!

50th Anniversary

50TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY/here at St. Augustine






















On the weekend of May 19th, 20th and 21th, the kids got together and gave dad and I a really special gift for our 50th Wedding Anniversary. The kids rented a Bed & Breakfast in St. Augustine called the "Bayfront Marin House" for us to stay at. We arrived early Friday afternoon and after settling in we walked around the area to enjoy some sights and later went back to relax in our lovely room. And it was a lovely victorian room with all the decor of that era and I got to enjoy a rest in the most comfy bed and even took a jacuzzis bath.
That evening Heather & Todd had planned for us a carriage ride, to pick us up at 6:30 and to see all the historic places in St. Augustine. I felt like Cinderella! It arrived right on time and off we went!

The next morning we had breakfast at the Inn and then met up with the kids to
take a trolley ride around the city at around ten a.m. Friday the weather was perfect , Sat. it got up to 90 degrees and was soooo HOT but we rode a trolley for the most part of the day so it wasn't too bad. All my kids were there except for Leslie who would arrive Sunday afternoon and Stacey who had decided not to come since going through a rough spot in her marriage. sad.
After dinner that evening with all the family at the O.C. White's restaurant dad and I decided to go visit the lighthouse since Heather & Todd has gave us free tickets. Afterwards we decided it was time to head back home. It had been along day and we were ready to get out of the heat, but the day was very nice and not soon to be forgotten, even if it was up in the 90's!
Next morning we got up and went to church as usual and that afternoon picked up Leslie from the airport before heading over to Sherry's for the last of the weekend celebration ! Sherry had opened her home up for this special Celebration Party, and she also had this big portrait made of dad and I . tks. Sherry! It was all amazing!! the kids presented a slide show of dad and I{tks. Randy for putting that together} throughout the years /special music to go with it and words/ a song sung by Leslie "Then You Look at Me" from the Bicentennial Man" a favorite of dads. And then refreshments. It was absolutely fantastic!!
Lots of work and love went into this whole thing! Dad and I just loved it and said it was the best! What a team effort to pull this together and all the kids pitched in. Leslie came up with the idea of these little handout jelly jars and my Jenny topped it off with having our initials J & D on top and the words' Spread the Love ." How sweet! Have to report that Angie was the instigator of the whole thing and made it come to life! Tks. Angie for your thoughtfulness. So very thoughtful and kind of you, we appreciate it so much! Angie just felt strongly that we had to have something special to celebrate fifty years of marriage! She felt that was a great achievement. Angie had this sweet flyer across the table that spelled the words out" SWEET LOVE." We will forever remember this day and we love you kids and it is sweet of you all to have given of yourselves and putting this all together for our special day!! tks. everyone!! Fifty years is a very very long time but we made it and you guys are the best part of that sweet love !
This will long be remembered and I promise to post pictures here real soon of the event.
love you all, mom & dad