Our month of October is about over. I don’t know how but when the calendar turns to November the sky loses that beautiful color and dons a gray flannel. It has it’s beauty but on a different level…..and for many, the most enjoyed holiday. Thanksgiving in the South usually means getting up and being in the field before dawn to try and bag a trophy deer. It’s bragging rites to have the most horns and biggest deer to talk about during the winter. I guess it has it’s moments but I am not one to appreciate it.

We had a wild weekend around here. On Saturday a Strongman Meet was planned in Rocky’s memory and Holly (his daughter) and her (daughter, Sara) came over to help cheer the guys on. I’ve never been able to understand how guys get this worked up over breaking their backs, pulling muscles and even having to stop before they finish. The Rockenbach Memorial Fund has provided a beautiful traveling trophy that the teams vie for. So far our home-gym team has taken it to the limit and kept it in the gym. They won by 1 point this year but a win is a win.

Watching the bulging eyes and red faces was nothing compared to the response the teams gave to each lifter. With a bunch of guys yelling “good lift……. no rest……keep going) and the squeals from their women, somehow they managed to do the lift. A regular from our gym has been trying at each Meet to win his personal best of 700 lbs. He was always a little short or had an injury. On Saturday he made it out of sheer will and when finished he went around the gym jumping and hollering like a Banshee Indian……whatever that is. My mother used to say it a lot but I never knew the meaning. Anyway, we all caught the moment and hugs and congrats were everywhere. I’m sure Rocky was watching and encouraging throughout.

After the Meet was over the four of us went to dinner (about 2:15) and then home. Becky had to help an eight-year-old with a costume for the Halloween Party he was invited to. She left to do that and when she came back we went to Brady’s third birthday party. Sunday we rested up and did a lot of stitching. Holly left yesterday after lunch but we have planned to meet in Joplin on Saturday to go Flea-Marketing. Beck and I need items for our booths so off we go. It’s around 3 ½ hours to Joplin from here.

Tomorrow evening we are having friends in for dinner and Thursday I go for my flu shot. On Friday it’s the day to visit my friend Opal in the nursing home. I’m going to be out of circulation until next week probably. About pictures……..I put new batteries in my camera and it worked fine until I tried to use it at the Meet. I wanted to be able to post a picture or two but I need to see someone about checking my camera. However, I’ll put in a “file” picture and hope to have a picture later. The picture shown is of Rocky's coach, Rodney, and Craig, owner of the gym. Others there said they would give me a few of what they had taken. It’s been a week since I’ve done a picture, so Roger……….here goes!!

Essentially Esther