Indiana Cemeteries Part 1

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

You Have An Award

Those four words scare the hell out of me.

I am not a writer. Until Dirk started critiquing my writing, I didn’t pay attention to my style of writing. In college, I agonized over each word, each sentence, and my punctuation. I would spend hours upon hours on each report I wrote and the rewards were the grades. My son, Rusty aka James, shares my writing dilemma. Only his writing was terrible. It drove me crazy.

This is how he would write to me: i am not a writer until dirk started critiquing my writing me I didn’t pay attention to my style of writing in college I agonized over each word

When the custody of his daughter, Isabel became an issue and he had to fill out countless forms and write countless reports, he would send me a copy of each one. The first report he sent me I had to pull out a dictionary to figure out a twenty-dollar word he used. I just assumed his attorney or his wife wrote it. It wasn’t until later I found out that each word, each comma, and each period was his. Those were his words on paper. I was shocked. He is very eloquent, his style of writing very precise, and to the point. You see he has Pepper syndrome. He is excited, he wants to get his message across, and who the hell cares about punctuation and sentence structure. Who cares about a few misspelled words? He has a story to tell and like his mother, he gets his story told without the proper etiquette.

That is why “you have an award” terrifies me. It requires an explanation on why I like the blogs I read. Orally I can do it but writing the words, I can’t. “It’s a cool blog and that is why I read it” just won’t convey the message I want to say. I usually ignore the awards but today, after two cups of coffee I am going to attempt to explain why I read the blogs I do.

Whismy award me the “Rockin Girl Blogger.” I am honored by this and I now have to pass this onto five women who I feel deserves this award.






Zach- I feel you deserve an award for your blog because it has opened my eyes. I have learned a lot from reading your blog. The music you listen to rocks. I do appreciate the subtitles. I can’t give this you because you are not a girl. Nevertheless, you do ROCK!

Wiz- You are a fantastic photographer. The pictures you take tell a story, each one deserves to be framed and admired. I love the stories you tell. Your way with words amazes me and delights me. I give you this award.

Whismy- You are the one that gave me this award. You have overcome unbelievable odds and I admire you for that. You are an inspiration. You deserve this award twice.

Robin- You have raised my awareness on the environment. You have made me become aware of how wasteful I can be; and, because of you, I pay attention. Your style of writing creates pictures in my mind and I wish I could have half the talent you possess. Your photographs of the “water people” are my favorites. I give you this award.

Lynilu- Another woman I admire. You have changed your destination. You embrace life and look at each day as a new adventure. Your pictures are inspiring. You also have a bad ass truck that I would cut off my right arm for. You deserve this award.

Jolie- Day to day observations, funny and poignant stories, and everyday life makes you a winner. You are a great writer and I am hoping that one day you will write a book. I will be the first to purchase it and I would even drive to your door for you to autograph it. You are the Erma Bombeck of the blog world. You deserve this award.


Fatty– A lover of old houses, like me. Your blog is insightful and oftentimes, funny. I am so glad you came by to visit and stay. Like Whismy, you have faced many obstacles in your life and you always find humor. I admire that. You deserve this award.

Dirk.–Your entries are insightful. Just don’t take 8 weeks off again. You have raised my awareness on many issues and to list them all would make this the longest blog entry in blogger history. Your blog entries have created wonderful discussion between my mother and I and a few arguments. Since you are not a girl... oh hell I award this to you anyway because you rock!

I will upload and post my award s- travel from Dirk and Rockin Girl award on my blog as soon as I come back from my next adventure.

Robin, To Answer Your Question

I was married for 9 years to a man who was extremely paranoid and I was not allowed to leave the house. Every Friday I went grocery shopping with my mother and I dreaded coming home because my ex would be so angry. As time went on, I found myself staying home more and becoming reclusive. It was not a healthy relationship. I could say more but out of respect for my children, that is enough.

When my brother, Ray passed away June 1 1992 I left the marriage. I grabbed the kids, a laundry basket of clothes and called my mom. I also carried with me all of the baggage I accumulated during my 9 years with my ex husband. I cannot describe the fear I had of anything new, such as leaving the house, going to college, applying for benefits, and meeting people. The first time I spent anytime with someone other than my family and my ex I threw up. I was stressed to the limit you could say.

I also had to learn to drive. My poor children endured that and I don’t know how they did. I was afraid to drive at night, I was afraid to have them in the car with me, I was afraid of anything coming towards me, and I kept confusing the brake with the accelerator. It took a year to get me to go faster than 45 miles an hour. However, once I did I became the proud owner of three traffic violations.

To acquire the necessary skills to become employable I started volunteering, to open the mind (so to speak) I started college, and with each step I took into becoming independent I found myself growing stronger. Fear though, still ruled my life. I was offered a very good job complete with benefits and I took it. I didn’t finish college. I lived in a rural area and jobs were few and far between. I made the right choice.

I learned through experience. I had to overcome a lot of fears but I learned. I was like my geriatric puppy in one sense because I just hated leaving my comfort zone.

I don’t know this but I have a feeling that my supervisor at work knew how terrified I was. She was the only one that was extremely supportive of me at work. She could be a real bitch but she forced me to do things that I was uncomfortable doing. She gave me a sense of purpose.

In the 15 years since my divorce, I accomplished more than I thought I could. I learned from experience, from people who knew and was supportive of me.

I started out Rving with no clue to what I was doing or embarking upon. Mom and I were ripe for the picking so to speak. Prior to Rving, I rarely used tools with the exception of a weed eater and mower. Prior to Rving, I drove a small Seabring. When mom brought up the idea of buying a motor home my first thought was “It ain’t happening.”

Robin, I learned this lifestyle from day to day experience. I bought a toolbox and took tools that I thought I might use. I had no clue to what they were but I did know a hammer and screwdrivers were essential. I figured out the vice grips just by accident. I was outside one day and I saw it. I played around with it until I figure out what it good for. It wasn’t until the other day that I figured out I could clamp it on a broken screwdriver and pound on it with a hammer. In fact, I have figured out everything in my toolbox and I have used every tool in there.

I learned about the hitch through research and experience. That makes my life interesting, you could say. I can even hook up the car without mom’s assistance. Having my mother there makes hooking up the car is so much easier.

I have come a long way in 15 years. I am hoping the next 15 years will be just as rewarding. I hope I can spend the next 15 years with my mom, enjoying this lifestyle. My grandmother told me that you would grow old when you stop learning. I hope every day is a learning experience and so far, it has.

Refrigerator and Vice Grips

Mom and I decided to tackle the refrigerator today and give it a good cleaning. This refrigerator is a tad bit trickier than the average “house refrigerator.” With a motorhome, everything has to be bolted down to prevent it from sliding around. This also applies to the inside of the refrigerator. Two plastic strips ran the full length of the inside of the refrigerator that had three screws for each strip. I destroyed the Philips screwdriver while unhooking the car so I had to use another size and it was a pain in the arse. Have you ever noticed that when you are dismantling something there is that hidden screw? The last screw and come hell or high water you cannot find it. This refrigerator has one and I found it after 15 minutes of looking, hiding behind the divider that separates the bins. It was tucked up and under the lip making it damn near impossible to remove. The refrigerator is sparkling and reassembled.

Hannah, I realized that picking up Grandpa and moving him around increased my strength but believe me it was pure adrenalin that made pick up the front of the car. I think I impressed the neighbors with this feat. What happened was stupidity on my part. I wanted to unhook the car before pulling into the lot. It is something I do every time with the exception of this time. The car was at an odd angle so I grabbed my handy dandy hammer and my heavy-duty screwdriver and proceeded to hammer out the first pin. The pin popped out with little effort but when it did, it caused the hitch to shift. Once again, using the same heavy-duty screwdriver, I hammer the second pin out but the hitch shifted again causing the heavy-duty screwdriver to become jammed. I thought if I lift up on the car, it would dislodge it. Hence, I picked up the car and mom’s jaw at the same time. When that didn’t work, I thought a one hundred and none of your business pounds of pure manic woman jumping up and down on the hitch would cause it to dislodge. It didn’t work. By this time, Mom was saying, “we need to find someone to help us.” Undeterred I picked up a second screwdriver to use to pound out the heavy-duty screwdriver. The handle feel off of the second screwdriver so I used the vice grips to hold the second screwdriver while I use the hammer to pound out the first screwdriver and then I used the vice grips to wrench out the second screwdriver that became stuck when the first one popped out. And that, my dear daughter, is what took place.

Boob boob Hannah.

Rvers are Green
Guest Author - Erin Lehn

RVs have gotten a bad rap as gas-guzzling hunks of metal driving down the road. But many full-time RVers actually use less fuel per week than regular commuters. Plus, there are many other variables to consider as well. Because of the limited space and resources, Rvers shop only for what they need, reuse containers, conserve water and battery power and use natural gas. Plus, many RVers enjoy living "off the grid" so they use solar and wind energy when possible.

Water Conservation
A regular household with only two people living in it can easily use 100 gallons of water per day. However, an RV household with two people uses significantly less water. Rvers are very cautious when it comes to conserving water. In a regular household, somebody taking a shower can use up to two gallons of water per minute. Whereas an RVer uses only two to four gallons, period! Flushing the toilet in a regular household can use up to three gallons of water. In an RV it is closer to three cups. (check out the chart below to see average household use of water)

Fuel
Unless an RVer has to get somewhere quick, they are pretty conservative on fuel, driving no more than 300 miles in a day. And usually when they get to their location, they stay put for awhile and use pedal, electric or foot power to get around.

Rvers obey the speed limit for several reasons; and one of them is fuel efficiency. It is a known fact that fuel economy decreases rapidly at speeds over 60mph. According to the Iowa Energy Center, each 5mph over 60mph is like paying an additional 10 cents per gallon for gas.

Many diesel powered RVs also use bio-diesel fuel; a recycled fuel made from organic oils. Many potential organic fuels presently pose a waste disposal problem, for example waste vegetable fats used for cooking require costly disposal. But most of these materials can easily be re-processed to make useful fuels by the process of transesterification.

Other
Rvers use propane gas for heating and cooking. Propane is a very clean burning fuel, and since RVers have to refill their propane tanks on a regular basis, they tend to be more conservative when using this resource. They are also some of the highest consumers of solar and wind energy products. Some RVers live for months, even years, at a time without using any electricity to run their household.

When it comes to waste disposal, RVers choose products that help preserve the planet. They use the wiffaway or bacteria-based enzyme holding tank solutions. This keeps their RV eco-friendly by not polluting the environment with toxic chemicals.

So the next time you seen an RV rambling down the highway remember that Rvers are eco-friendly too!

Average Home (Not RV) Usage of Water:
Bath: 50 gallons
Shower: 2 gallons per minute
Teeth brushing: 1 gallon
Hands/face washing: 1 gallon
Face/leg shaving: 1 gallon
Dishwasher: 20 gallons/load
Dishwashing by hand: 5 gallons/load
Clothes washing (machine): 10 gallons/load
Toilet flush: 3 gallons
Glasses of water drunk: 8 oz. per glass (1/16th of a gallon)



BellaOnline

Once A Cheater

We left Crawfordsville Indiana two days early. I was so angry about the attitude of the owner. You have to realize that I was born into a business. I have had all the basics of dealing with the public drilled into my head by the time I could talk. I was told that each customer that comes into your place of employment pays your salary. I learned from the master (my father) the subtle art of bullshit. He also taught me how to tell a person to go to hell and that person would thank me for it. This poor lady did not know how to deal with the public or she just didn’t care. Her solution to a problem was a perky little smile and an “okay.” Then she didn’t do anything to rectify the situation. I was ready to throttle the woman.

Our lot was so uneven that the levelers didn’t work. I ended up shutting off the refrigerator. Fortunately, we didn’t have too many perishables. I wasn’t comfortable letting the slides out because we were leaning worse than the Tower of Pisa. We were cramped, drinking hot sodas and water, and eating PBJs. To top it off the internet didn’t work. I contacted the necessary people and filed a complaint.

“Work, Work, Work, all I do is work… now its time to get a headache.” Pepper age 3, to give you a visual I was dragging a mop.

I know you are going to ask, “Why did you turn off the fridge?” Kick back I am going to get technical.

A RV refrigerator is different from the one in your house. Your RV refrigerator doesn't use a compressor or any moving parts for that matter. It works off the principle of absorption. Instead of applying cold directly, the heat is drawn out, or absorbed. The theory is, when there is an absence of heat there is cold. Basically, your RV refrigerator uses heat, either from an electric heating element or LP gas flame. The heat starts a chemical reaction and then through evaporation and condensation causes it to cool. It also works off gravity, freezing the freezer compartment first and then dropping down to the refrigerator compartment.

The RV must be fairly level for the refrigerator to operate properly. Older RV refrigerators required more precise leveling, but even the newer models need to be close to level for optimum performance. Over time, a cooling unit operated out of level will be permanently damaged. Traveling with the refrigerator on will not cause problems because the liquids and gases in the cooling unit are constantly moving around. They don't collect and stay in areas of the cooling unit as they can in a stationary, out of level refrigerator.

It was 92 degrees when I pulled into Louisville late this afternoon. I was escorted to my site and was directed in. When I went to unhook the car, it was at a very bad angle and by the time, I got it loose I was having a heatstroke. Mom was so impressed that she said, “I didn’t know you could pick up the front of the car.” It wasn’t strength; it was sheer bullheadedness and adrenalin. I put the jack pads under the levels and leveled the RV, and then I went out to hook up the electricity so we could get the air conditioner turned on, and that was when I realized that I was given a 30-amp service. I need a 50-amp service. I went to the office, explained the situation, and told them I didn’t want 30-amp service. I need to have 50 amps to run the air conditioner. I was told by the owner that they didn’t have 50-amp service. I wanted to cry. Then she said, “Do you have a cheater?” I looked at her as if she sprouted two heads.

Whenever you are in a bad situation, the best thing you can do is learn from it. A cheater is actually a splitter. Don’t worry I am not going to get as technical again. The Cheater box plugs into and 30-amp and a 20-amp source on separate circuits to give the user a 50-amp output. In my case I had two 30-amps plugs on a separate circuit so I am running off of 60-amps. Hence the name "cheater." I am now a proud owner of a “cheater.” Never thought I would get so excited about a cheater.

We are tucked in for the week. Our slides are out, the air conditioner is working, and the soda pop is cold. So, all is well for the folks that reside in the “Little House On Wheels.”

Images Of Indiana

Greetings

Our goal in Indiana was to find a park that met all of our needs and stay put for a while. We just wanted cable (more than 4 channels) and a place where I could raise my dish to receive the internet.

We depend upon “Good Sam” and “Woodall” to locate a park. Then we call for reservations. According to the two books, the rates were average, it had cable and internet so we called and reserved a site. We both knew when we pulled into this park it was not good.

We needed propane and we were told we had to wait an hour for her husband to come home from work. When we drove down to the propane tank, we were told we had to turn around and I wasn’t allowed to do a loop in the park. I had to drive out of the park and find a place to turn around, and then drive back in the park. I needed propane or I would have said, “Forget it.” It cost $50 for the propane; $25 worth of propane went into the air because the operator didn’t know what he was doing.

The internet doesn’t work; the lot is very small and rutted. We cannot get our rig level. The owner is a perky little bitch who has a knack at putting people off. We asked for another site, one that isn’t rutted and level. She said one would be available in a couple of hours. It wasn’t and we didn’t move. The internet doesn’t work but fortunately, we found a McDonald’s that has wireless internet. The cable TV is the only amenity that works and we have enjoyed it.

One of the places we wanted to see was Garfield Indiana, the little town that no longer exits. What is left of the town is a church; the rest has been replaced with cornfields and modular homes. This was the place of birth for my grandmother and it was fun to see what was left.

We explore several cemeteries and took many pictures. We also wandered around and saw several small towns. Darlington Indiana is a quaint little town with beautiful Victorian homes that the owners have taken their time with in restoring them. Waynetown is another small town with beautiful homes and a fabulous restaurant called “Cracker Barrel.” We ate dinner there and the cost for the both of us was $10. Mom had a Taco Salad, I had a cheeseburger, and onion rings. The food was fantastic. Crawfordsville is a sprawling town with many Victorian homes. The houses on the main strip are neglected but the homes on the back streets are being restored.

With the exception of the RV Park, the stay has been enjoyable. Today we are going to do laundry, tomorrow (weather permitting) we are leaving for Louisville Kentucky. I know I have said we are heading for Maine and now we are heading in the opposite direction. The joy of the journey is not getting there but all of the discoveries on the way to your destination. If we don’t make it to Maine, it is simply because of all the wonderful stops on the way there.

Red Barn Rendezvous RV Park

Red Barn Rendezvous RV Park is located right off I-55 but the highway noise is not a problem. It is a full hookup park but it is experiencing a major water shortage. They had to close the laundry mat and stress, emphatically not to waste the water. We stayed here a year ago and they were having the same problem. We like it here and plan to return when we go visiting family. We stayed here June 15th through June 20th 2007.

Highland Illinois

The past few days we have spent visiting my sister and her hubby in Highland. It has been a quiet few days that passed by quickly. We visited with two of her girls, ate good food, shared a lot of laughs, and floated in her “redneck pool.”

We will be heading out tomorrow to a town that no longer exist, Garfield Indiana. At one time it was a bustling railroad town that died when the train went elsewhere. They say that all of the buildings are gone and no one lives there anymore. The pictures I have of the town shows life, people, and buildings. At one time children were being raised there, weddings were held, church was every Sunday, and at one time it was called home. I am curious to see if what they say is true. There has to be a trace of something there. It is the place of my grandmother’s birth before her family left for free land in Montana. We will be leaving tomorrow. Until then.

Why The Gods Are Patient

When the gods could not sleep,
they would lay a green leaf over each eye.
The undersides were so soft and cool
that in no time the gods were asleep.
One day a god awoke to find his leaves gone
and, in their stead, a fat locust sitting on each eyelid.
When he opened his eyes wide, the locusts flew off.

Wait! Cried the god. You have taken my leaves.

Your leaves? Inquired one locust.
How could we know they were yours?

The wind gave them to me, the god replied.

Then ask the wind for more, shouted the other locust.

The god went straight to the wind,
but the wind just shrugged.
The greedy locust have eaten them all, said the wind.

But what shall we do if there are no green leaves
with soft undersides to soothe us? Moaned the god.

I will blow the locust so far away,
the trees will have time to grow new ones,
promised the wind.

And that is why locusts come once every seventeen years
and why the gods are patient.


The Story Was Taken From An Excellent Book Titled "The Pond Gods." The picture, of course, is mine.

Blackhawk RV Park

Blackhawk Campground is a beautiful park nestled in a valley. The river runs right next to it, which adds a quiet charm to it. It is indeed a jewel in the RV Park category. The weekdays run by peacefully and the weekend explodes in family activities, which doesn’t detract from its quiet charm. It is managed very well and rules are enforced. It is water and electric only but they do have a dump station. We stayed here June 9 through the June 15th 2007.

hannahjane said...

hannahjane said... you and your wittle bathroom friend :) I'm sorry I just couldn't resist.

I was blessed with a vivid imagination as a child. I don't know how or why "Scary Bones" came into my life but I was a young child. A young child that spent a lot of time in the bathroom.

Strange you say?

Not as strange as this:

Fast forward many years and three children later, I heard my daughter singing and talking in the bathroom. Being curious I tapped on the door and asked her what she was doing and who was she talking to? Silence followed the tap and then I hear a little voice, "Nothing mom I am all alone."

This bathroom behavior kept up and finally I couldn't take it anymore. I sat down with my daughter aka Hannah and told her the story of Scary Bones. This was the first time I ever admitted that I had an invisible friend. That is when I found out that Hannah's "wittle bathroom friend " came to her on gossamer wings. She had the Blue Angel whenever she was in the bathroom.

Strange?

It gets stranger...... what are the odds that both mother and daughter both had a "wittle bathroom friend" as children?

hmmmmmm?

The Towne Sisters

Witchcraft in Massachusetts singled out:
• spinsters [unmarried beyond the usual age of marriage]
• barren women
• the ugly
• the extremely successful
• the independent
• the reclusive
• the litigious [prone to lawsuits]
• the willful.

I am descended from the Towne Sisters, two of whom were put to death for being witches. Accusations were made against their mother, Joanna Blessing but she was never formally accused. The article below this is the examination of Rebecca (Nourse) Nurse.

The Examination of Rebecca Nurse, March 24, 1692

Mr. Hawthorn. What do you say (speaking to one afflicted) have you seen this Woman hurt you?
Yes, she beat me this morning
Abigail. Have you been hurt by this Woman?
Yes
Ann Putman in a grievous fit cried out that she hurt her.
Goody Nurse, here are two An: Putman the child & Abigail Williams complains of your hurting them. What do you say to it
Nurse: I can say before my Eternal father I am innocent, & God will clear my innocence
Here is never a one in the Assembly but desires it, but if you be guilty pray God discover you.
Then Hen: Kenny rose up to speak
Goodman: Kenny what do you say
Then he entered his complaint & farther said that since this Nurse came into the house he was seized twice with an amazed condition.
Here are not only these but, here is the wife of Mr. Though: Putman who accused you by credible information; that both of tempting her to iniquity, & of greatly hurting her.
Nurse: I am innocent clear & have not been able to get out of doors these 8. Or 9. Days.
Mr. Putman: give in what you have to say
Then Mr. Edward Putman gave in his relate
Is this true Goody Nurse
N: I never afflicted no child never in my life
You see these accuse you, is it true
N: No.
Are you an innocent person relating to this Witchcraft.
Here Though: Putman's wife cried out, Did you not bring the Black man with you, did you not bid me tempt God & dye How oft have you eat and drunk your own demon What do you say to them Oh Lord help me, & spread out her hands, & the afflicted were grievously vexed
Do you not see what a solemn condition these are in? when your hands are loose the persons are afflicted.
Then Mary Walcott (who often heretofore said she had seen her, but never could say or did say that she either bit or pinch her, or hurt her) & also Eliz: Hubbard under the like circumstances both openly accused her of hurting them
Here are these 2 grown persons now accuse you, what say you? Do not you see these afflicted persons, & hear them accuse you.
N: The Lord knows I have not hurt them: I am an innocent person
It is very awful to all to see these agonies & you an old Professor thus charged with contracting with the Devil by the [a] effects of it & yet to see you stand with dry eyes when thee are so many whet—
N: You do not know my heart
You would do well if you are guilty to confess & give Glory to God
N: I am as clear as the child unborn
What uncertainty there may be in apparitions I know not, yet this with me strikes hard upon you that you a re at this very present charged with familiar spirits: this is your bodily person they speak to: they say now they see these familiar spirits com to your bodily #[spirits com to your bodily] person, now what do you say to that
N: I have none Sir:
If you have confess give glory to God I pray God clear you if you be innocent, & if you are guilty discover you And therefore give me an upright answer: have you any familiarity with these spirits?
N: No, I have none but with God alone.
How came you sick for there is an odd discourse of that in the mouths of many—
N: I am sick at my stomach—
Have you no wounds
N: I have none but old age
You do Know whither you are guilty, have familiarity with the Devil, & now when you are here present to see such a thing as these testify a black man whispering in your ear, & birds about you what do you say to it
N: It is all false I am clear
Possibly you may apprehend you are no witch, but have you not been led aside by temptations that way
N: I have not
What a sad thing it is that a church member here & now another of Salem, should be thus accused and charged
Mrs. Pope fell into a grievous fit, & cried out a sad thing sure enough: And then many more fell into lamentable fits.
Tell us have not you had visible appearances more than what is common in nature?
N: I have no nor never had in my life
Do you think these suffer voluntary or involuntary
N: I cannot tell
That is strange every one can judge
N: I must be silent
They accuse you of hurting them, & if you think it is not unwillingly but by design, you must look upon them as murderers
N: I cannot tell what to think of it
Afterwards when this was some what insisted on she said I do not think so: she did not understand aright what was said
Well then give an answer now, or you think these suffer against their wills or not
N: I do not think these suffer against their wills
Why did you never visit these afflicted persons
N: Because I was afraid I should have fits too
Note Upon the motion of her bouts fits followed upon the complainants abundantly & very frequently
Is it not an unaccountable case that when you are examined these persons are afflicted?
N: I have got no body to look to but God Again upon stirring her hands the afflicted persons were seized with violent fits of torture
Do you believe these afflicted persons are bewitch
N: I do think they are
When this Witchcraft came upon the stage there was no suspicion of Tituba (Mr. Paris's Indian Woman) she protest much love to that child Betty Paris, but it was her apparition did the mischief, & why should not you also be guilty, for your apparition doth hurt also.
N: Would you have me belie myself—
She held her Neck on one side, & accordingly so were the afflicted taken
Then Authority requiring it Sam: Paris read what he had in characters taken from Mr. Though: Putman's wife in her fits
What do you think of this
N: I cannot help it, the Devil may appear in my shape.
This a true account of the some of her examination but by reason of great noises by the afflicted & many speakers, many things are predetermined Memorandum Nurse held her neck on one said & Eliz: Hubbard (one of the sufferers) had her neck set in that posture whereupon another Patient Abigail Williams cried out set up Goody Nurses head the maid's neck will be broke & when some set up Nurses head Aaron Wey observed that Betty Hubbard's was immediately righted Salem Village March. 24'th 1691/2 The Reverend Mr. Samuel Parris being desired to take in writing the Examination of Rebecca Nurse hath Returned its as aforesaid Upon hearing the afore said and seeing what wee then did see together with the Charge of the persons then present—wee Committed Rebecca Nurse the wife of Fran's Nurse of Salem village unto their Majesty's Goal in Salem as p a Mittimus then given out, in order to farther Examination John Hawthorne } } Assists Jonathan. Corwin}

Illinois

I am in awe, totally and completely in awe. The woods have come to life with a noise that can only be described as mesmerizing. I love the soft whirling noise that will eventually reach a fervent pitch.

Not to many people love Cicadas but I am one that adores them. I remember when they rose from the ground in Missouri. Every step you would take would crunch, you would not dare open your mouth, and all the birds were fat and sassy.

Supposedly, in China they make medicine from Cicadas for hearing related disorders. They are good to eat (most prefer the female because she is meatier) but do you really want to eat something that has been marinating in lawn fertilizers, pesticides and other chemicals for the past 17 years? I will admit to eating a couple of strange things but Cicadas are definitely not for me.

The past couple of days have been magic. The song of Cicada is soothing and their journey to adulthood is nothing short of amazing. There is nothing in my heart but love and admiration for these benign little creatures. I hope I am around in seventeen years to see and hear them again.

Not Much Is Happening

Mom and I are still recovering from our three week road trip plus all the chores. I swiped this meme from Fatty.

k-12 memories....

Apple Jacks or Captain Crunch with Crunch Berries?
Neither. I loved the Animal Cracker cereal. I would try to eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Try is the key word, I attempted and always failed.

Band or choir?
It was band. I loved to sing but some wouldn't call it singing, more like calling the pigs home.

Class ring?
I had one but lost it.

Ducks or Battleships? (in the bath i'm told)
The truth is what everyone wants, right? Neither. I would spend hours in the bathtub playing with my imaginary friend, Scary Bones. No comments from Hannah Banana or I will everyone about the Blue Angel that lived in the bathroom.

Earning money?
As a child I lived right on water. My first job was at the Patio Drive In. I would jump in my little boat, which had a 20hp motor, and go to work.

Favorite teacher?
I had two. The kind and gentle teacher was Mrs. Franklin. I just remember her as being so sweet and patient. The second teacher was the evil, demented one. Mr. Ketterlin looked like and walked like a penguin. His classes were so boring that a lot of students would fall asleep in his class. His favorite form of punishment was to grab a stack of books, drop them on the floor by the unsuspecting sleeping student. I never had this done to me but the reaction was priceless. I did get my knuckles rapped but I can not remember why.

Go back and do over?
I would go back and change a few things but truthfully, I don't think I would. I have learned a lot from my experiences.

Home Economics?
I hate home economics. I don't have a domestic bone in this body. My first dress turned out looking like pants. I flunked sewing. Undaunted they put me in the kitchen. It was a miracle that I didn't burn the kitchen down or killed anyone. I didn't flunk the class though. The reason for not flunking the class was due to the fact the teacher didn't want to deal with me anymore.

Indoor recess? P.E.?
Indoor recess before PE. PE was a horribly experience. You had to get undressed in front of a bunch of mean cheerleader types. I was traumatized by the experience.

Jacks or jump rope?
Jacks

Kickball or dodge ball?
Kick The Can

Lunchbox?
No

Musical?
I was in a school play when I was about 9 years old. I was still cute enough to make the audience forgive me of my lack of talent.

Number of school districts?
Just 1

Orange or apple?
Orange

Playground equipment?
Tether ball.

Quiz team or debate team?
Debate, that was something I was good at.

Recess?
In first grade, my best friend was Kenny. We would play together every recess and also dream big dreams together. We both were going to move to Montana, buy a horse ranch, and raise Arabian Horse. Mine was always white Arabians. When we were not dreaming we would play Batman and Robin. He was my first best friend and I was absolutely devastated when he moved away. As fate would have it, we met again 34 years later. His face was ravaged by drugs, his brain was fried, and I can only imagine what happened to him in prison. He recognized me and called me by my legal name. I wanted to cry.

Spring break?
No such thing.

Team sports?
No way

Unfullfilled dream?
Moving to Colorado. Hey I was 16 and thought it was a romantic place to live.

Valuable?
Valuable what?

walk or bus?
Here is goes, the age old tale of walking barefoot 6 miles through snow to catch the bus. I had to walk about 1/2 mile to catch it. I was not barefoot but I did have to walk in the snow.

X Country or basketball?
neither

Year?
Camdenton RIII schools is a horrible place to send your children. I dropped out at 17 and finished elsewhere.

ZZZs?
home ec

that is all.

We Are Home

We picked up our little house on wheels Saturday afternoon and headed for the nearest park.

I do not ever want to go on another extended road trip again. The scenery was beautiful, seeing the grandchildren was great but trying to find a motel that will take a dog and not your arm and leg was the pits. Some of the hotel owners were down right ugly when I said I had a dog.

Tomorrow I will be doing laundry, a little house cleaning, and developing many pictures. I will need to sterilize the hoses again and store the luggage in my basement. Then I will sit outside, relax, and be thankful that we are home safe and sound.

Heading Home

Received the call that we have been waiting for, WE ARE HEADING HOME!

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Turn On Your Sound

The chorus to this song is what makes me think of mom and that is why I am using it for this montage. Scenery from today – Enjoy.

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Pet Discrimination

There are several sites on the web that helps travelers find hotels that accept pets. I do use these sites with some surprising results.

Mom and I decided to go to Yellowstone and took Rt 30. The following is the conversation I had with three hotels.

Me: I need a smoking room.
Hotel: No problem.
Me: I also have a 7-pound dog.
Hotel: Sorry we just rented the last dog room.

We were trying to book a room before noon.

We ended up spending the night in Idaho last night. Tonight we drove to Jackson Wyoming and once again ran into the same problem. We ended up in a mom and pop hotel that has to be one of the oldest in Jackson. The room is EXTREMELY small but nice and the price was reasonable. They also didn’t change an arm and a leg for Surely Not.

I am getting really sick and tired of pet discrimination. I am also tired of irresponsible pet owners that allow their animal to run wild or leave them alone in the hotel. These same owners don’t pick up after their pets. Fortunately, we found a hotel near Yellowstone that will accept Surely for a fee.