GRANDS

Danny and I have been putting in a garden. We put in some potatoes and beans and tomatoes, okra and squash. The other day he brought some iron fence poles to put up for the beans to run on. The boys were outside playing and they wanted to help. They brought Danny the poles, each one yelling, "Help me Poppy, help me!" It was hilarious.
Here are a few pictures of Danny's little helpers in the garden.

That's James in the front. Sometimes he's a little camera shy. But not often. That's Cameron coming up behind.

That's Cameron up front, puttin' on the glitz. He's such a camera hog. He loves getting his picture made so he can make that glitzy smile. Don't know whether James is coming or going.

My Children!!

You know the Bible says you are not supposed to brag and I really don't want to. But I really need to say something about my children. I just need to say that I thank God for them everyday. They have been a blessing to me through out the years. Bo is the oldest and he is married to Millie. They were meant for each other, like two peas in a pod. He is the maintenance supervisor at Blue Ridge Homes in Campabella, SC. He makes rustic furniture in his spare time and makes keeping Millie happy his number one priority.

Then we have Jamie. Being a middle child is not easy. I think Jamie has always felt kind of left out, but he really hasn't been. He's had a hard time in his personal life but has never let that keep him down for long. He has such a resilence that's its uncanny. He quit school in the tenth grade. But now he is going to ICC and getting his GED. He has the determination of a Brahma bull. And the temper to go with it, I might add. He has such a love for his children. And he's also talented. He went down to Bo's and used his shop tools and made the most beautiful jewelry box. He has the voice of an angel, if you could get him to use it. I've heard him sing and its beautiful.

Then we have Ambre, otherwise known as Dingleberry, Doodywhopper, Banaboo! She is my youngest. To me, Ambre is the most beautiful thing on two feet. But I can't convince her of that. She has always had a problem with confidence. Everything she has ever attempted to do, she has accomplished. When line dancing was in, I don't think I 've ever seen anyone who could outdo her on the dance floor. She learned to crochet at an early age. She quit school in the tenth grade like Jamie but succeeded in getting her diploma at ICC and surprising me one Christmas. She can make pottery and knows how the figure the ratios for making glazes. (there are some Chemists who can't do that). Her Daddy bought her a sewing machine and she taught herself to sew. She will take an instruction book and read it from front to back and find it interesting. ( I think it's a pile of slop and only skip through what I need ). She has gone back to school to get her nursing degree and has made almost all A's. She makes quilts and totes and purses and does all this while trying to raise three children ( two in potty training). I see myself in Ambre. The me that should have been. I'm so glad she will not wait like I did to try and make something for herself in this world. To wait is to be forgotten and pushed aside. But Ambre will not be, she will succeed and I know that she has the determination to keep going until everything she wants to do in life, she does it.

I'm very proud of all three of my children. They are three very talented and very loving individuals who make me a very lucky mother. I thank God for them everyday.

ONE HUNDRED DOLLAR NIGHTMARE

Picture this. It's Jan 30. A woman, trusting, sincere, just a plain ordinary woman. Sitting at a computer paying bills. She decides to pay 100 to Verizon. She owes 357.17 but since this is the short week, she only pays 100. She'll pay the rest next week. It's Friday night. She enters the amount and gets a confirmation back for her $100 payment. Fast forward to Tuesday morning. She checks her bank account.. Oh no, overdrawn!! How can that be. She checks, there it is, Verizon took the whole $357.17 out and caused and overdraft in her account. She immediately call the bank. They cancel her card and institutes a fraud case against Verizon the retrieve her money. In the meantime, they put $257.17 back into her account plus the overdraft fees they took out. She waits to see what Verizon will do. She waits and waits and waits. March 24, Verizon returns the entire $357.17 ( because they don't do partials ). They immediately turn all the phones off for non-payment. She calls and makes arrangements to pay partials until they return the $100. She waits for the bank to put the money back into her account but it doesn't happen. They say they don't have the money. They don't know where it is. They are trying to find it. Call after call after call and no one can tell her where it's at. The bank says they have not received the money from Verizon but Verizon says they have. Finally, she's able to contact the Fraud Dept. at the bank. They say the found the money. The extra 100 dollars will be returned to the Verizon bank under her account number. She waits, the bank says the money transferred on May 7. Verizon says that its not there. She talks to a supervisor, she says they can't find out because they don't have contact with the dept that handles the bank division. Who do you think your dealing with? an idiot? she asks. Your telling me that one of the largest companies in the world doesn't know how to contact another division in the company? Give me a break. Call back in five days, the money should show up in your account by then. Fast forward to Friday, May 15. She calls, no money. Now they say they need the bank to provide them with a transfer number for the transaction. Do you see where I'm going here? A nightmare! But one thing I can promise you, they WILL find my $100 and put it where it belongs or I will haunt them til they do..........................

News News News

Well, I think many of you may remember this picture, but some may not. The event took place on July 19, 1969. It's almost 40 years now and that day falls on Sunday this year. Danny and I have decided to renew our vows on that Sunday. So be expecting invitations soon. Anyway, we've changed a little bit ( ha, ha). But we are looking forward to it. Hope you all can come. Ta Ta.