Clara's Home

Linda sent her photos today so I’ll send them on to you and add a few to my flickr site. I know you think she takes too many photos but when you get home it’s just the perfect amount. I’m just happy that you have learned the importance of smiling for photos rather than glaring at the camera. It’s nice to know your ancestors looking at your old photos will remember you as a smiling, pleasant person.

I’m also happy we had the religious experience so we know what we are and aren’t missing. However you must remember that the power of prayer did work for finding the proper white light switches and for your desire to see Brad Pitt’s Katrina rebuild project. You might want to consider prayer more often now.

My favorite part of the trip was when Johnny kept remarking about how hard the four of us worked. At least someone recognized our fine attributes. We no doubt cut a few volunteer weeks off Clara’s home project now with just the bedroom to tile and then of course the re-tiling of all the ones that will be coming loose in the family room.

When you decide when to visit Miss Clara’s home, let me know so I won’t end up there the same day. She is a wise woman to ask us to visit separately but really she doesn’t get our manner of communicating.

Have your bug bites disappeared yet? Mine are still itching.

Mississippi

So far the Macedonia Baptist Church service was the highlight of our visit here. I loved the Reverend Dr. Joseph Trotter and the gospel choir with him who entertained us Sunday morning. It was even worth the two hour service. I think I am outdoing myself with all the prayer meetings, devotionals and church services this week.

The really best part was working hard unloading the truck and carrying more stuff than any of the men. I also love working on Clara Mayfield's home and helping her get her home fixed up after the hurricane winds damaged it. We are learning so much about tiling, ripping out damaged material and working very hard. It is just significant being part of a 250 person Christian based group helping others. Of course the living arrangements are not first class but typical enough for anyone from Warden to find adequate.

It is nice the weather is pleasant and New Orleans will again be waiting for us on the coming weekend. We are sort of tired looking at hurricane damage. Judy is vying for group leadership but so far it hasn't happened probably because we threaten the men in charge. We do keep the group entertained with our genial bickering. Here we are.

Who will cut his hair?

Miles goes with his brother and dad to get haircuts but this time he came home without sitting for the barber. He refuses say his parents so you will have to cut his hair with the clippers we will purchase.

“You who?” I asked just to make sure they’re addressing me. I have many talents but using barber shears is not one of them. I’m sure he’d like a children’s hair place like The Kids Kut with chairs that are horses, fire engines and cars so I drive him 30 minutes to wait for the turn to have his hair cut where only little boys are allowed.

When his turn arrived he let me put him in the chair and after the cape got on and the cutting began, he started squirming and fussing to get down. Another mother quickly handed me a quarter for the candy machine in hopes that we could stuff candy down him immediately. Miles was not interested in being bought off with candy so he pulled his cape off, and climbed down. The barber urged me to “just let him cry” but I said as the grandma I couldn’t do that. The parents can be the bad guys but not me. I say give him the Ryder Hudson look with long, flowing locks.

Later he spent the night at my house and gave me a continued run for my money. The thing that made him go to bed early was pouring his bath water on the floor but he paid me back by waking up at 5:15 a.m. Good thing for him that he’s cute.

Tomorrow I’ll be at Cyd’s until I meet Linda on Thursday when we fly to New Orleans. I have a very compact duffle bag with all my work clothes and tools. It looks like I intend to work so I really hope they have some good supervisors to guide us.

I’ll think we’ll make a pretty good showing of Warden girls. I’m interested in knowing if anyone from Warden has volunteered there. We’re tough, we don’t require fancy accommodations, and I can talk to you in person for a week. You’ll be sick of that.

Rush

He is having a difficult time now that the Republican Party is merging with your other major party. I’ve been listening all morning in between vacuuming since the snow also means no house cleaner drives here. I’m noticing the painted walls are marked up but I know they’ll stay that way until the grandsons get much older and more sedate. I discovered cleaning gives a great sense of satisfaction but I don’t need this feeling often.

In the next hour I am taking my mom to get her cast off. She came over for dinner yesterday and it was a big struggle to get her to walk on the snow into the house. I'm sure this is who Shizuo had in mind when he said elderly persons should be careful of falling in snowy weather. It couldn't have been me he had in mind because "elderly" is a word that doesn't fit either of us surely. My mom wanted to be here though so that was very nice and she enjoyed the boys. Her entire living group has a posted notice warning that if you come inside you’ll be exposed to an outbreak of gastroenteritis. It must sort of be like taking a cruise as it’s very difficult to get rid of the illness.

When I started writing I discovered that I’ve visited on the phone with you several times this week which is unusual and then I realized that I saw you twice last year and maybe more than that this year. Mostly it is fun to plan to go someplace even if we do have to work from sunup to sundown. I did find my Bible today and it looks like it was last opened in 1955 as there’s a bulletin in there with that date. I think it might be time to take a look at it.

My mom’s income tax is giving me fits today even with completing the form with Taxcut vs. Turbotax. I hate it when both send their “free” tax program and then each time you want to ask a question they add a fee. I especially am crazy now because one program says she owes $100’s and one says she gets almost that amount returned. It didn’t help me much to take the tax class but my neighbor paid attention so she’s coming over to help me out.

Somewhere I heard that Mercer Estates will be announcing their arrival in both Seattle and New York one day this month. Pay attention to the wine news so you don’t miss the excitement.