Yet Another Birthday

The birthdays just keep coming, third one this week.  Guess who has one today...

Posted by Clyde

A Grateful and Blessed Birthday

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MINDY

   Then...

and Now ...

I'm not sure...is Mindy the one who feels "Grateful & Blessed" or are we the ones who should feel "Grateful & Blessed" to know her?  Both maybe?  Too complicated for my simple mind.

Posted by Clyde

70th Anniversary

Today is Mom and Dad's seventieth Wedding Anniversary. Sorry, I don't have any words...

Posted by Clyde

Carlos' 42nd Birthday

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CARLOS

Quest Farms has an Instagram account where you can occasionally find a photo of Carlos if you follow them.

Here he is showing off a medal he won in this years Special Olympics.

Posted by Clyde

Product Placement

Wandering through the farm store near my house this week I came across something that struck me as odd.  They have their game processing supplies (Meat Grinders, Dehydrating Machines, Vacuum Sealers, Slicers, and Seasonings) located right beside their live animal traps. 

The trap pictured says it can be used for Raccoons, Possums, Nutrias, Armadillos, Skunks, Chipmunks, and Rodents.  I can't imagine grinding, dehydrating, slicing or sealing any of those. Shouldn't the traps be located over near the Pet Food section?  After all, if you're going to catch a pet, you'll need to feed it.  

Some days I miss that pet groundhog I had when I was a youngster, back before all those little sisters came along.  He was much better company.

Posted by Clyde

ps:  I'll save you the trouble...Google says a Nutria is a South American beaver-like rodent.

Caitlyn Photos

Ran across a new photo of Caitlyn this week ...

I thought it was a good one and figured I would add it to the Google Photos collection I have of her...

She may have gotten her good looks from the Mayberrys and her brains from the Ratliffs, but I am pretty sure that girl got her appetite from the Stalkers.

Stolen from Amber's Facebook page and 

Posted by Clyde

Black Friday Memory

I remember a Black Friday back in 2002. Mother asked me did I want anything out of the Walmart ad. I told her there was only one thing in that whole ad that I wanted. She asked me what was it. I showed her the picture of the TV with the built-in VCR. I didn't want to go just for that one item.

I told her if we was to go we will have to leave at four in the morning.  We got ready and pulled out at four in the morning.  The place was as crowded as it can be.  We had Carlos with us.  When we come to the TV I wanted, I had Carlos put in it our cart.  We had to go to the electronics place to pick up a 60' cable and a device with two cable outlets. I don't remember if Mother got anything or not.  

I have to admit I used the TV for along time.  I kept it until about July of this year.  The VCR tore up my tapes every time I take it out.  I finally found somebody to give it to.  They were happy to get it!

Posted by Sherry

Tough Day in the Obituary Pages

I start most days checking the obituary page of the local paper to make sure I'm not listed.  Haven't found myself yet, but not many weeks go by that I don't find a name I recognize. This morning I found three.

The first was Orville Hunt who was the mayor of Coal Run Village a few years ago.  I only met him a few times and doubt any of you know him.

Next was Margaret Coleman.  I didn't recognize that name but reading her obituary I found she was the daughter of Alex and Meddie Belcher, sister to Phyllis Blackburn and mother of Judy, Randall and the other Bartley kids that we grew up with. (CLICK to read her Obituary.)  Of course, that triggers a flood of memories of growing up in Yellow Hill Bottom and all the friends we had there.

Finally, I came across the obituary for Franklin D. Ratliff.  Again that name didn't register at first but, reading further, I think this was Frank Ratliff who taught at Elkhorn City and later worked with the Board of Education.  Mr. Ratliff was my Algebra teacher freshman year at ECHS and together with Curtis Lester nurtured my interest in math. The two of them were probably responsible for my choice of engineering as a career. (CLICK to view his Obituary.)

Like I said, it is a tough day in the Obituary Pages.

Posted by Clyde

Fridays Fun Foto #21

Why the Dinosaurs went extinct...

...they couldn't survive this wild bunch.

Posted by Clyde

PICTIONARY Memories

We have been painting and having three rooms of carpet replaced.  Our house has been a mess for over a month.  Jennie worked at getting things back to normal this weekend.  She went through a stack of games from one of the closets, deciding what to keep, what to give away and what to throw out.  

In a Pictionary Game, she discovered a couple of special drawings on one of the sketch pads.  Apparently, on one of her visits, Traci Ratliff played the game with us and also did some doodling. Her first drawing was of, what else, a horse...

A Unicorn actually.  Her love of horses started very early and just got stronger.

Her next drawing was a bit of a surprise...

Needless to say, I fought back tears for quite a while after Jennie showed them to me.

Posted by Clyde

Seven Years Along

Hard to believe it's been seven years since Bryan, Leigh Ann and Holly became a family.

I'm amazed that Holly has been able to put up with the other two this long.  She's a patient, tolerant and long-suffering little dog.

Posted by Clyde

Silly Sunday Sketches - Erik at Dinosaurs Alive

Erik accompanied us to Florida one summer and narrowly avoided getting eaten by an animatronic dinosaur...

I think he was in more danger from the Guinea Girls than the dinosaurs.

Posted by Clyde

Friday's Fun Foto #20

Freeing Willie

Pat seems to be enjoying this a little too much.

Posted by Clyde

Before Emerson

I may have found proof that Erik and Veronica did exist before Emerson was born.  I think this photo dates from the year 1 B.E. (That's 2002 on the Gregorian Calendar.)

Apparently, in the ancient past, Erik and Veronica were "Cat People".   Limestone, Rusty and Alfred got all their attention and affection.  I wonder how the cats felt about having to share with that new hairless critter that came into their home in 2003.

Posted by Clyde

Ruth Gardner 1934 - 2018

Mom's first cousin Ruth Gardner passed away about three weeks ago in Michigan.  Ruth was the daughter of Glenn and Vina Coleman (Aunt Vivie). 

Mom and Ruth talked on the phone and exchanged Christmas Cards, Birthday Cards and any other cards they could.  Mom was always wanting some $20 bills so she could put one in Ruth's card.  Cards she received back from Ruth always had $20 included.  Looks like they could have mailed the same $20 bill back and forth but somehow Mom was always needing more twenties.

Posted by Clyde

Silly Sunday Sketches - Clyde at the Restaurant

I'm pretty sure this is a sketch of one of the times I tried to teach the Guinea Girls how to act civilized in public.  We were at a fancy restaurant and I was telling them to quit picking their noses.  They weren't listening and I had to show them how they looked to everyone else.  I think they finally got the message.