Monday, May 09, 2005
MAY AND JUNE....1991
After a few days off to catch up….I’m still not where I wanted to be….but further along than I was. If that sentence sounds political, it is. I hate not getting everything done I have flying around in my head but on the other hand I am able to get more done than just thinking about it….thinking about it….thinking about it. You know the drill. Some people think about it and others do it. I’m in the middle.
I totally enjoyed every minute working in the yard and with Rocky’s good help over the week-end we made a lot of improvements. If you’ve read me very long, you know my maternal grandmother and my mother loved flowers and caring for them. It came on down the pike and since I’m retired I have been enjoying being OUT-doors instead of inside an office LOOKING out. Big difference.
Anyway….we left off with February, March and April, 1991 so we continue on with “the rest of the story”……………
************************************************************************
In our part of Missouri, we are constantly being warned of another possible big earthquake along the New Madrid fault. My dad was the first to tell me the stories of how the Mississippi River ran backwards for so many days and created a big lake in Tennessee. In the winter of 1811 the 400 residents were wakened with a huge blast and then quaking ground. Survivors told how the ground rippled like water and opened huge cracks. There wasn’t a home in New Madrid, Missouri that wasn’t affected by the huge quake.
The three 8-magnitude quakes that hit the area were felt in Charleston, S.C. and Washington D.C. and rang church bells in Boston, Mass. These three quakes are still the largest ever in the history of the U.S. There is a lot of interesting material about the quake on the internet. The Mississippi Valley quakes, because of the geological makeup, can travel much further and cause more damage than the California quakes because of this. They still predict a “big one” is due to hit again at any time.
On the third of May, around 8:30 in the evening, I was on the phone with Becky and Bear was watching TV. All of a sudden we felt a bump and shaking. As we tried to reason what just happened, a Special Report broke in on TV to inform of the quake and epicenter 10-miles south of New Madrid, MO. A pretty good jolt was felt in 6-states but there was minimal damage and no injuries. Still, it’s enough to make you appreciate good solid earth beneath your feet. The waiting period goes on….we continue to be informed of the reality of another quake….and soon. Missouri is full of caves and big steams of underground water and it’s a paradise for cave hounds and geologists. We boast the largest single spring in the world at Van Buren, Missouri where it bubbles up in a huge fountain from under a wall of rock. It is truly a beautiful area.
On the 8th of May, Becky drove to Canton to move Jennifer home from college. They arrived around 7:30 that evening, safe but tired. Jennifer intended looking for summer work. On the following Saturday I had the girls go after mom while I fixed breakfast for all of us and we had a nice morning together. Mom’s birthday came on Mother’s Day this year…..she was 87-years young.
Jennifer was invited to stay with John and Barbara this summer. John found work for her as a counselor to aid in her quest for a major in Psychology. It was very beneficial as all experience is. As I remember, she counseled troubled kids in a summer camp environment. George came to visit a few days and we enjoyed having him. We got a lot of visiting in.
I took vacation in mid-June and Becky, Bear and I drove over to Carthage, Missouri where the Precious Moments Chapel is. It’s a good 2 ½ hours over there but worth the trip. The chapel was beautiful with manicured grounds to compliment the layout. We went on a tour of the buildings and had a wonderful lunch in the dining room that overlooked a feeding area for squirrels and birds. A wonderful experience showcasing the beautiful artwork of Sam Butcher. Everything on the grounds had an inspirational meaning and is a testimony of his faith.
On the 19th of June, Bear and I celebrated our 19th wedding anniversary. It was a quiet day but Becky came with a cheesecake and strawberries which made the occasion special. I worked on a quilt top like one Becky made….it was pastel and soft. Bear got enthused and helped hold up the material as it grew larger and hard to manage. He was a big help. I still have the quilt and still love it.
The last part of June was not good for mom. She was confused and troubled. That always caused me a great deal of concern when she wasn’t really “mom.” I could see it but do nothing about it…..the worst kind of a bad situation. To me it was like watching two ships on a collision course and all of my screaming to warn them went unheard. I was constantly looking for improvement but braced for the inevitable. So June slid by and the heat of summer was upon us……..
Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
I totally enjoyed every minute working in the yard and with Rocky’s good help over the week-end we made a lot of improvements. If you’ve read me very long, you know my maternal grandmother and my mother loved flowers and caring for them. It came on down the pike and since I’m retired I have been enjoying being OUT-doors instead of inside an office LOOKING out. Big difference.
Anyway….we left off with February, March and April, 1991 so we continue on with “the rest of the story”……………
************************************************************************
In our part of Missouri, we are constantly being warned of another possible big earthquake along the New Madrid fault. My dad was the first to tell me the stories of how the Mississippi River ran backwards for so many days and created a big lake in Tennessee. In the winter of 1811 the 400 residents were wakened with a huge blast and then quaking ground. Survivors told how the ground rippled like water and opened huge cracks. There wasn’t a home in New Madrid, Missouri that wasn’t affected by the huge quake.
The three 8-magnitude quakes that hit the area were felt in Charleston, S.C. and Washington D.C. and rang church bells in Boston, Mass. These three quakes are still the largest ever in the history of the U.S. There is a lot of interesting material about the quake on the internet. The Mississippi Valley quakes, because of the geological makeup, can travel much further and cause more damage than the California quakes because of this. They still predict a “big one” is due to hit again at any time.
On the third of May, around 8:30 in the evening, I was on the phone with Becky and Bear was watching TV. All of a sudden we felt a bump and shaking. As we tried to reason what just happened, a Special Report broke in on TV to inform of the quake and epicenter 10-miles south of New Madrid, MO. A pretty good jolt was felt in 6-states but there was minimal damage and no injuries. Still, it’s enough to make you appreciate good solid earth beneath your feet. The waiting period goes on….we continue to be informed of the reality of another quake….and soon. Missouri is full of caves and big steams of underground water and it’s a paradise for cave hounds and geologists. We boast the largest single spring in the world at Van Buren, Missouri where it bubbles up in a huge fountain from under a wall of rock. It is truly a beautiful area.
On the 8th of May, Becky drove to Canton to move Jennifer home from college. They arrived around 7:30 that evening, safe but tired. Jennifer intended looking for summer work. On the following Saturday I had the girls go after mom while I fixed breakfast for all of us and we had a nice morning together. Mom’s birthday came on Mother’s Day this year…..she was 87-years young.
Jennifer was invited to stay with John and Barbara this summer. John found work for her as a counselor to aid in her quest for a major in Psychology. It was very beneficial as all experience is. As I remember, she counseled troubled kids in a summer camp environment. George came to visit a few days and we enjoyed having him. We got a lot of visiting in.
I took vacation in mid-June and Becky, Bear and I drove over to Carthage, Missouri where the Precious Moments Chapel is. It’s a good 2 ½ hours over there but worth the trip. The chapel was beautiful with manicured grounds to compliment the layout. We went on a tour of the buildings and had a wonderful lunch in the dining room that overlooked a feeding area for squirrels and birds. A wonderful experience showcasing the beautiful artwork of Sam Butcher. Everything on the grounds had an inspirational meaning and is a testimony of his faith.
On the 19th of June, Bear and I celebrated our 19th wedding anniversary. It was a quiet day but Becky came with a cheesecake and strawberries which made the occasion special. I worked on a quilt top like one Becky made….it was pastel and soft. Bear got enthused and helped hold up the material as it grew larger and hard to manage. He was a big help. I still have the quilt and still love it.
The last part of June was not good for mom. She was confused and troubled. That always caused me a great deal of concern when she wasn’t really “mom.” I could see it but do nothing about it…..the worst kind of a bad situation. To me it was like watching two ships on a collision course and all of my screaming to warn them went unheard. I was constantly looking for improvement but braced for the inevitable. So June slid by and the heat of summer was upon us……..
Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
