Birthday Girl

Can you guess today's birthday girl?

Here are some hints...

She probably baked that cake.

Those candles didn't stand a chance.

Posted by Clyde

Dad's Old Shotgun

(This is a follow-up to both Jeffery's post about the items she has that belonged to Dad and the post yesterday about how time is flying too fast.)

I have Dad's old Nitro Hunter 16 gauge shotgun.  It is a single barrel, breech-loader that was manufactured sometime around 1910.  Dad told me he got it from his Uncle Dow Chaney when he was just a teenager.  Dad said he killed his first squirrel with it, and that Uncle Teet killed his last squirrel with it.  Not long before Teet passed away he and Dad went hunting on Biggs Branch and Teet used this 16 gauge because it was lighter and easier to carry than his 12 gauge pump.

Dad's Uncle Dow was quite a character.  He fought in the Spanish-American War and often spoke about Teddy Roosevelt and the battle at San Juan Hill.  

He also worked for Devil Anse Hatfield during the famous feud.  He and "Uncle Bob Fraley" stood guard at Devil Anse's home.  They were stationed on the second-floor porch where they kept watch for any McCoy's that might come after Devil Anse or any of his clan.  I'm pretty sure Dad's shotgun was manufactured too late to have been used during the feud though.

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Now I wouldn't sell Dad's shotgun for any amount of money. It's as precious to me as Dad's dinner bucket is to Jeffery.  I would, however, be willing to loan it to Jevon if he needs it.  Maybe until Caitlyn turns 30 or 35 years old.

Posted by Clyde

Time's Flying Much Too Fast

It's been a long time since I've been to Florida to see my little buddy, Caitlyn.  I was there not long after she was born...

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And I visited a few times with Dad when she was just a toddler.  Actually, this is kinda how I still picture her in my mind...

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It's been a while since my last visit, and I can accept the fact that she isn't a toddler anymore...

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But THIS I just can't accept...

This can't be happening already! What have you all done with my little buddy?

Oh, I bet Jevon is having an even harder time dealing with this than I am.

Posted by Clyde

Happy Birthday Dad

We may not be able to see you, but we still feel your presence. The memories of you are so many and they flood my mind and make me miss those days. 

The lunch bucket you brought home each day that almost always had something left in it for us kids, a cake, a pie or maybe a candy bar left for us to try and split into equal pieces.   We always looked forward to what might be in that lunch box. 

The cup you used for the soap you would brush on your face and the razor you used to shave.  I still remember sitting on the sink watching you as you shaved.  

The coat you wore when it was cold. You were hot natured and never wore a heavy coat.  A light coat would do.  

How many times did you say, “Bring me a cup of coffee.”  I don’t know how many times, but it was many… and a sandwich would be next on your list of things for us to bring you.  You always said you got the a** end of the tomato and you couldn’t figure out why.  I think we all knew from watching you, you didn’t waste anything.  You ate whatever was put on the table. 

The cup in the picture is a measuring cup we had when we were young and several times I tried to bring you coffee in it.  You always said the same thing.  “I can’t drink coffee out of that cup, it won’t cool down.”  Who knew the Yeti cup would be so famous.”  

And then there is the famous trailer you and Bun Buns made. We all know the story about how it took you so long to make it because you had to wait for Shawn to get home from school to help you build it.  The one he hit his finger with the hammer and had to go have Mama pray for him. 

I have the four-wheeler you rode the grandchildren on, and I have fixed it up, and now I ride my grandchildren on it, they love that four-wheeler.  I do too.  

The picture only shows a few of the physical things I still have to remind me of you.  But The truth is, I don’t have to have them to remember you,  I remember like it was yesterday and I long to see you.  I miss you so much.  Your stories are still told when we get together, and we still laugh as though it is the first time we ever heard them.  

You may not have had a college degree, but you had a degree in the hard knocks of life.  Your life was so hard as a child. I can hardly see how you turned out as good as you did.  You loved your family.  You weren’t perfect, but you sure did love us.  The older I get the more I realize just how much. 

I know I will see you again someday.  I know you are with others I long to see.  That gives me great hope of a better day.  

Posted by Jeff

Memories of Dad on his 94th Birthday

I remember getting Michelle to go to Velocity Market to get some items. When she got to the store, instead of going picking out the items that were on sale, she when back into the store and got the items that weren't on sale. When she got home we got into a racket over it. Dad said, "From now on you give Sherry the money and let her go and get it."

Mother and I went to Maloney's.  While I was up there I looked around in the store and I saw Dad there. He had a shopping cart with a lot of paint and other stuff in it. I said, "Dad, I can get you ten percent off your paint and stuff. Let me show you how."

He said, "No, I am going to give you the money and you go and get it." If I remember correctly he gave me a $100.

When I got to the counter there were other people in front of me. When it finally came to my turn, Dad and Mother, holding Shawn, was near the door waiting and watching me. If I remember correctly, all of the stuff came to $112. I used a coupon that took a dollar off and the rain check took $12 off. The $100 cover it. When I got finished Dad took the shopping cart and emptied the paint and stuff into his truck.

Posted by Sherry

Racing Trinity

Yesterday, Trinity and I were going down to the dock to feed the fish.  She always wants to race me down and I always try to give a good fake run like I am really trying to beat her.  I decided it was time for me to win, just this once.  When she was about halfway down, I shouted out, "Hey Trinity, your mom is calling for you." 

She stops in her tracks and listens to see if she can hear her, she doesn’t, but still turns and takes off for the house.   I wait until she is almost up to the house and I shout up to her, "Hey Trinity, I am going to beat you."

She turns and looks at me in disbelief.  I shout up, "I tricked you. Ha, Ha, Ha."  My dastardly dead worked.  I won the race.  She was not happy about that at all.

Later, we were headed up the hill, and I was in the lead.  I shouted down to her, "I am going to beat you again!"   

This time she was ready for me.  In her sweetest voice, I heard her shout up to me, "Hey Grandma, wait, I want to give you a big hug."  She knows my weakness very well.  I love hugs and she was going to use it to trick me.

I shouted back to her.  "I’ll get it when I get up to the house, right after I beat you."  But, even with a big head start, SHE BEAT ME!!! And she was not a good winner.   I didn’t get that hug after all.   

01/06/2019 Shared by Jeffery

Mom's Christmas Cactus

This is the first year Mom's Christmas Cactus has bloomed since she gave it to me...

I'm really enjoying it.

Posted on FB Messenger by Jeff

Ratliff Manufacturing Company

I started to post this photo as one of my Friday's Fun Fotos ...

But then a recent photo made me think about how much the Ratliff Clan has increased in number in the years since. 

And that reminded me of one of the old stories Dad used to tell.  

He said he was traveling by train once, back when he was much younger, and the train stopped in Cincinnati.  He stepped off the train onto the platform to stretch his legs, and across the railyard, he saw a huge brick building.  On the side of the building was a big sign that read "RATLIFF MANUFACTURING COMPANY".  He said he looked at that sign for a minute and thought to himself, "That's where they make all those Sons of *******s."

Now I have no idea if he ever rode a train through Cincinnati or if this was just something he made up to get a laugh.  I suspect the latter.  Whichever, it looks like that manufacturing company has been busy, but I don't think there is a single Son of a ****** in the bunch.