Resemblances

Ambre made me a new purse and wallet set. I love them. They are great. When we got home from church, we changed clothes and I was fixing to start Danny some lunch, when one of the boys came busting in hollering Poppy, Poppy, come see the terweddle. We found a terweddle. It was hilarious. They were so excited because they had found a turtle in the driveway. Anyway, I sat down to change my purse around and ran across this picture. It's been in every wallet of mine since 1971.

Do any of you know who this is? It's my Dad, taken when he was just 12 years old. I don't remember who gave me the photo but I have always kept it with me. Anyway, Ambre held it up to one of the boys and the resemblance was uncanny. So I pulled a picture of Chris also. Here are the photos. The resemblance to Dad is really fascinating.

Well, this is Chris when he was about nine years old. Sorry for the blurriness. Next up is this picture of the boys. What do you think?

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.

Busy, Busy , Busy!!!

Hey ya'll. Long time no see. Ha! Ha! Well, I've been working on a few things around here. Been busy at work and church and I've had that old crud that's been going around. Lost my voice, but I'm getting that back now. Getting better every day. Anywho, I've been working on a new crib quilt set.

What do you think? The material in front is the trim and back pieces. I'll add post more pics as I get it done. The pattern is called " Fence Rail ". Ambre and I took a class last weekend on Free Motion quilting and I'm hoping I can get good enough by the time this is done to try to quilt it with what I've learned. Next on the agenda is this.......

I got this two pieces of material a long time ago ( well, maybe about a year ago) anyway, I was going to make a large tote out of it, but the more I think about it, I think I will get Ambre to make me a purse. Kool, Huh? What do you think? Anyway, tonight I am attempting to make soft pretzels. You know, the kind you get at the mall. Here's what they looked like before the oven.

And here's what they looked like after the oven. Now keep in mind, I think I used the wrong kind of baking pan. I should have used a cookie sheet. You'll see why in the second photo. The tops are very soft but the bottoms....welll........

Oh well, tomorrow is another day. I will be stopping at the market for more yeast and I will be at it again, and I will be using my cookie sheets. I'll post. Ta! Ta!

Rain Rain Go Away

Rain, Rain, Go Away! Come again another day! Oh I wish it
would stop raining. It's been raining for days. I love the rain
and we really do need it to bring the water levels back up but
not everyday. (Thank you God for the rain!) But could we
please have a couple of sunny days. We like the sun too. My
bushes have taken to protecting themselves. I left my umbrella
on the porch and this is what I found.

This is my camillia bush that has been losing its flowers since it started raining. If this keeps up, she will be naked. Danny and I want to go fishing tomorrow after church and the forecast says its supposed to clear off some. I hope so. Well , gotta go study my Sunday school lesson. Bye for now!