A Family Treasure Discovered

What? Another week has passed? How?

If anyone has the answers to these questions, that person could probably also tell us "What's It All About?" Don't be shy...step on up with your answers.

Last Sunday we ate at a place where the food was so boring, bland, and blah that we didn't eat out again all week. That was the beginning of a boring, bland, blah week for the most part. But wait, it didn't stay boring.

One morning I was up early enough to capture this glorious shot of the sun's rays shooting out from the dark clouds. It was an incredible sight.

Rich continued working on the guest bath and we finally picked a paint color. There is a lot of color in our home so I wanted this room to have quiet walls behind the art we have selected. It was much more difficult for me to pick a beige/gray/simple paint than it has been to select color. I planned, shopped, and cooked some things for the freezer, getting ready for our next trip, but nothing that you haven't seen here before.

Thursday the pace definitely picked up. I was the second person in our Verizon store that day to buy the brand new Samsung Galaxy S III. They still refer to these things as phones but they are hand held computers on which you can also make calls...if you are one of those rare persons who still actually talk to live people that is. As I said on FB, my smart phone could really benefit from a smart user! Seriously. But, I'm getting better. Here is the last of a rather lengthy exchange with my oldest grand later that afternoon. As I discovered this morning, I still haven't mastered answering the phone when it rings...rookie is still right.

Friday the girls had a long overdue spa day. They returned home freshly coiffed, sporting bandannas covered with peace signs...so retro...yet so dope...I'll hear from the boys on my use of that word for sure! The important thing is that this photo was taken with my new Galaxy so I am learning...albeit very slowly.

Rich stayed home to work on the bathroom and keep the girls there while I went down home on Saturday to visit my family for a couple of days before we head out on the road again. As I approach town, the dome of the county courthouse can be seen towering over the trees. It called for a photo so I drove past the front to capture this image.

My brother and SIL welcomed me yet again; I am so lucky and so grateful that they're willing to have us because there is no place to stay in that small town. Mom is doing well and is always so happy to see any of us. Our two younger siblings and their kids were in town to see her last weekend so she talked about that.

Sunday afternoon the three of us drove up to Virden to visit our Uncle and Aunt, Mom's brother. I just love having the opportunity to spend time with them because they live with their youngest daughter in Florida much of the time. Also, my Aunt Audrey is a fabulous cook and laid out quite a spread. I don't know how she does it, but am glad she does because I certainly enjoyed every tasty morsel! My cousins Betty and Kathy were there; Lisa, one of Kathy's daughters, came by too.

Uncle Don has the original Certificates of Marriage for both sets of my great-grandparents on Mom's side. I photographed them, and a few pictures he had, for inclusion in some family history stuff I'm compiling. The best part of the afternoon though was hearing the stories he told about growing up. As a young man he certainly got around; one could say he was a bit of a rascal and lived on the wild side for a few years before he and Aunt Audrey got married. They will celebrate their 61st wedding anniversary on July 21st. Can you believe it? Just look at them!!!

For years I have told about the orange cookie jar with flowers painted on it that sat on the hutch in my Great-Grandpa & Great-Grandma Wallace's dining room. I remember it always containing plump round sugar cookies that she had baked. Through the years I have baked numerous recipes trying to replicate her cookies and often wondered what ever happened to that cookie jar. Yesterday, I learned its fate. Aunt Audrey bought it at the auction of their household goods in 1959 shortly after great-grandma died. I was ten years old, can remember the auction day clearly, and have treasured the few books from their collection that my great-aunt gave me that day. I am so thrilled that this special cookie jar remains in my family, that I got to actually touch it, and to now have photos of it.

By the time I got back home today, Rich had not only finished all the drywall work but had the first coat of paint on the walls. Before evening the second coat of paint had dried and he had the light fixtures installed!

Lovin' Life ~~ Treasuring the Generations