Wednesday, February 23, 2005
AUGUST....1987
August was eerily sad. I had a long phone visit with my aunt and uncle in Blair who told me aunt Mary’s house was finally emptied of all the contents. It was bare to the walls. That same day I went up to my mother’s and began marking her things I didn’t plan to keep, for a garage sale. I had sorted through the sentimental things and saved them for my three children…..then took items I just couldn’t sell. The main value being…..they belonged to mom and dad. It’s strange how you put value on different things. Their “good” things they never used didn’t mean that much, but the things used every day and was so much a part of them….I kept.
August is miserable in south Missouri….humidity suffocates you and the heat adds to the misery. We worked in the garage, trying to finish up. I fixed dinner on Sunday for Jennifer’s 15th birthday. Mom, Becky, Hank, Jennifer and Jonathan were here and we had a good meal….Becky fixed the dessert, helped with the dishes and took mom back to WC. It was a good day and I appreciated the help after being wrung out in the garage.
The next day Warren took mom to the local doctor for her routine Protime check. It was exceptionally high and the doctor was afraid of a heart attack so he had Warren take her on to the hospital at West Plains….when I came home from work I was anxious but she sent word with Warren for me not to come. She was resting well and under good supervision…..since she was comfortable I took her advice and got some rest, myself. Considering my anxiety level I slept well that night.
We were busy at work because one man was on vacation. Pete, my supervisor, and I had 38-written and eye tests and 9-road tests apiece. I worked a motorcycle test by myself, which is a chore. I was thankful for the chance to think about something else besides my family losses. That evening, Warren, Jennifer and I went to see mom who was doing well…..they were getting her medications regulated and trying to find the magic numbers on it all. She was in good spirits so we stayed until it was time for her to rest.
Later in the month we picked mom and Jennifer up to go to Vicksburg with us. It was to be a little vacation. Jennifer would soon be in school and mom loved to travel and was told it would be OK…..we all loved Barbara’s parents and looked forward to the trip. On the way down, we stopped in Memphis in hopes to tour through Graceland. Mom loved Elvis Presley and was so enthused about our suggestion. It was a disappointment, however…..it was the 10th anniversary of his death and was a mob scene. We drug poor mom up into the waiting line and when we finally got to the ticket window we were informed it would be a 3-hour wait. Mom’s little shoulders slumped….there was no way we could wait 3-hours in the heat and humidity. She got to look at the private plane, and a few other Elvis things…..we went into the gift shop and she purchased a book. I’ll always hate it that she didn’t get to see Graceland. Mom adored Elvis.
We made it on to Vicksburg where we were greeted warmly by Bob and Mary. They were the perfect southern hosts….warm, loving people. I still miss them. John and Barbara and LJ arrived about 8:30 after they got off work. Bob had smoked a turkey and Mary had fine fare to accompany it…..she was an excellent cook. Next to Elvis, mom loved Bob and Mary best and we considered them family. We had a wonderful week-end together and left on Monday morning.
Aunt Mary’s birthday came up on the 18th and would have been her 81st. Grandma Stricklett’s was on the 20th. She was born in August 1883 and would be 104-this year. I made a comment in my journal on her birthday…… “With grandma’s house now empty….the house where my brother and I were born…there is little left of days spent with her, all of my aunts, my uncle, the dogs and the cats….all gone now except the building….empty after all those years of living. Except for the few memento’s she gave me and her name that I bear…..the past has been swept clean from “the hill.” It will remain in my heart and my thoughts….blessed memories of bygone days.”
....and so August slipped away....
Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
August is miserable in south Missouri….humidity suffocates you and the heat adds to the misery. We worked in the garage, trying to finish up. I fixed dinner on Sunday for Jennifer’s 15th birthday. Mom, Becky, Hank, Jennifer and Jonathan were here and we had a good meal….Becky fixed the dessert, helped with the dishes and took mom back to WC. It was a good day and I appreciated the help after being wrung out in the garage.
The next day Warren took mom to the local doctor for her routine Protime check. It was exceptionally high and the doctor was afraid of a heart attack so he had Warren take her on to the hospital at West Plains….when I came home from work I was anxious but she sent word with Warren for me not to come. She was resting well and under good supervision…..since she was comfortable I took her advice and got some rest, myself. Considering my anxiety level I slept well that night.
We were busy at work because one man was on vacation. Pete, my supervisor, and I had 38-written and eye tests and 9-road tests apiece. I worked a motorcycle test by myself, which is a chore. I was thankful for the chance to think about something else besides my family losses. That evening, Warren, Jennifer and I went to see mom who was doing well…..they were getting her medications regulated and trying to find the magic numbers on it all. She was in good spirits so we stayed until it was time for her to rest.
Later in the month we picked mom and Jennifer up to go to Vicksburg with us. It was to be a little vacation. Jennifer would soon be in school and mom loved to travel and was told it would be OK…..we all loved Barbara’s parents and looked forward to the trip. On the way down, we stopped in Memphis in hopes to tour through Graceland. Mom loved Elvis Presley and was so enthused about our suggestion. It was a disappointment, however…..it was the 10th anniversary of his death and was a mob scene. We drug poor mom up into the waiting line and when we finally got to the ticket window we were informed it would be a 3-hour wait. Mom’s little shoulders slumped….there was no way we could wait 3-hours in the heat and humidity. She got to look at the private plane, and a few other Elvis things…..we went into the gift shop and she purchased a book. I’ll always hate it that she didn’t get to see Graceland. Mom adored Elvis.
We made it on to Vicksburg where we were greeted warmly by Bob and Mary. They were the perfect southern hosts….warm, loving people. I still miss them. John and Barbara and LJ arrived about 8:30 after they got off work. Bob had smoked a turkey and Mary had fine fare to accompany it…..she was an excellent cook. Next to Elvis, mom loved Bob and Mary best and we considered them family. We had a wonderful week-end together and left on Monday morning.
Aunt Mary’s birthday came up on the 18th and would have been her 81st. Grandma Stricklett’s was on the 20th. She was born in August 1883 and would be 104-this year. I made a comment in my journal on her birthday…… “With grandma’s house now empty….the house where my brother and I were born…there is little left of days spent with her, all of my aunts, my uncle, the dogs and the cats….all gone now except the building….empty after all those years of living. Except for the few memento’s she gave me and her name that I bear…..the past has been swept clean from “the hill.” It will remain in my heart and my thoughts….blessed memories of bygone days.”
....and so August slipped away....
Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
