AI for Mothers Day

 I ran this old black and white photo of Mom and Aunt Virgie through the AI in Google Photos...

And it produced this photo of Michelle with Aunt Dib...

Maybe I need to quit using the free version of AI and use a paid version.  (Nah, I'm too cheap to speed money on this nonsense.)

Lucille's Sewing Years

I remember back when we were growing up, Lucille would do a lot of sewing.  I remember either Jeffery or I would be somewhere around her when she sews. She would ask whichever one of us was around to go and get her something.  

The first question was "What does it look like?" 

She will describe it and the next question was "Where is it?" 

She will tell us where it is and we will always go and get it for her. One time she asked me to get her something. I asked, "What does it look like?" 

She described it and said she didn't know where it was. 

I said, "I don't know where it is either." 

Jeffery entered the room. She asked Jeffery to get it for her and told her she didn't know where it was.

 Jeffery said, "I don't know where it is either."

Story by Sherry

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Follow-up by Clyde

I remember Luci's sewing days too.  I recall asking her to sew me a black vest once.  I had seen movie stars and several cool rock stars wearing them.  Of course, I wanted to be cool too.

She whipped one up for me. It was a pullover made of a faux leather fabric.  It looked really cool, until I put it on.

I don't know why it didn't work for me.  

I wore it a few times and it hung in my closet for a while.  Don't know what finally happened to it.

Charcoal Rugrats

When Jeff and Randy visited recently they brought a couple of Rugrats with them...

We are glad they finally learned that Aunt Jennie and Uncle Clyde are real people.

Charcoal Memories #4

Can anyone remember this little girl carrying a "Scrap Bucket" around the neighborhood?

The original photo is HERE.

Memorial Day 2023

 A few photos from Memorial Day 2023...

Mom & Dad's headstone got a cleaning and new flowers.

The Ratliff Cemetery had been mowed and cleaned the best we've seen it in years.  We didn't have to do much work at all there.

The Wilson Cemetery was also cleaned and looked good

There are more photos in my Google Photos Album.

New Graduates

 I hear there are two new graduates down in Florida.  They must be talking about kindergarten graduation, it can't have been that long since I was down there.

Congratulations to Caitlyn and Blair !!

My Summer Vacation by Jeff

Several years ago Emily wrote about her summer vacation in Kentucky so I thought I would do that too.

______________________

Clyde and Jennie took us to see some of the sights in Pikeville.  We got to walk across a swinging bridge.  I haven't done that in years.  Clyde made it swing real big but he couldn't shake me off. 

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We saw several of the decorated bears around downtown Pikeville.  This one is called Astro Bear.

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We went to the Heritage Museum where we were attacked by Indians.  There was "Chief Sitting-Around Bull".

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The medicine man "Smiling Turtle Shell" and his squaw "Running Mouth" were there too.

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We ate really good while we were in Kentucky.  We always do when Aunt Jennie is around.

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That night we did some old Kentucky rituals that we like whenever Aunt Jennie is around. 

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One day Clyde took us to a graveyard and told us The Story of Octavia Hatcher.  Clyde has strange ideas of what a "fun thing to do" is.

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Jennie noticed some wings painted on the wall of a building downtown and said "Let's get your picture in front of the angel wings."  I'm not sure what kind of angel those wings belong on.

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On my last day there we finally got to go see my Uncle Willie and his family.  Lots of my cousins were there too.  We had soup beans for dinner.  No trip to Kentucky is complete without some soup beans.  Clyde ate a lot more than me.

And that's what I did on my summer vacation.

Jeffery

I Found the Doll

Jeffery called and told me that they were six minutes away from my home. Quick as I hung up the phone the Barbie doll I was planning on giving her crossed my mind. I looked all over for it. I thought the doll box had the famous picture on the inside of the box. It was on the back of the box. I looked at this red box at least a dozen times while they were here.

While I was watching Jeopardy I thought I would look at the red box again. I turned it around and there was the picture. I said, "No wonder I couldn't find it." The doll is a 1994 Barbie Doll edition of Peppermint Princess.

Well, Jeffery, next time I see you I will have it ready for you.

Posted by Sherry

Florida Girls

A promo for a new show on Pop-TV caught our attention today.

I looked over at Jennie when it ended and said, "Oh my Lord!  They've made a movie about Jeffery's girls."

Jennie laughed and said, "I knew you were going to say that about the Guinea Girls."

Jennie's Mother's Day

Jennie had a memorable Mother's Day yesterday.  

From Bryan, she received a nice card and a pair of pajamas.

From Erik, she got an original, handwritten and heartwarming poem.

From Matt, she got a card, a buffet dinner at Peking and a special gift... he gave her a big hug instead of the usual pat-on-the-back she has gotten in years past.

(No photos of the hug were allowed.)

___________________________________________

I think there are some "StalkerClan Lessons" for all the Stalker, Potter, Coffey, Ratliff, Schell and other kids here:

• First, pajamas are always a great gift for Mom.  When she goes to bed and when she wakes up, she will be reminded of you.
  
• Secondly, anything from the heart will be cherished by her.  It doesn't have to rhyme, but it's especially nice when it does.
  
• Finally, hug your Mom every chance you get.  The day will come when you can't hug her anymore, and that will really hurt.  Believe me, I know.

Blueberry Farm Ad

Ran across this ad for a Blueberry Farm in Florida.  Thought you might like it.

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

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.

Bigfoot Christmas

When we went to Seattle in 2016 I took pictures of any Bigfoot statues or displays we came across.  I wanted to share them with Randy, our resident Bigfoot fanatic.  Apparently the family that lives there got the impression I was really interested in Bigfoot too.  Guess what I got for Christmas this year...

Bigfoot Coffee, a Bigfoot coffee-mug and some Seattle Bigfoot Poop.  That last item is supposed to be chocolate-covered peanuts, but I'm not going to be the first one to take a bite.  I've played too many tricks on my sisters to fall for that.

I guess you could say Bigfoot left his footprints on my Christmas this year.

Posted by Clyde

Randy in Drag

Can't decide whether Randy in drag looks more like Mrs Doubtfire, or Bea Arthur from the Golden Girls.  We may have to have a vote.

Blame Amber for this one.

A Christmas Birthday

Found this online and thought it might fit someone on the StalkerClan (with very minor alterations.)

25 REASONS IT SUCKS TO HAVE A CHRISTMAS BIRTHDAY

1. The Christmas Day you are born, your parents consider you a special gift from Santa, and ponder naming you Noelle, Holly, Joy, Eve or Carol. You almost became “Noelle” – until your parents let your older brother give you a boy's name.
2. Some how, years later, that day you were once considered a special gift from Santa, turns into “that day you ruined your mom’s Christmas” (at least jokingly). After all, it’s your fault she ended up in hospital on Christmas Day, and your arrival made her miss a delicious turkey dinner.
3. Speaking of turkey, you are almost guaranteed to eat turkey on your birthday every year…for the rest of your life.
4. When you become a mom, you will spend your remaining birthdays cooking that turkey for everyone else.
5. On the topic of food – you can forget about your kids ever making you breakfast in bed on your Christmas Birthday. They will be too busy sitting beside the Christmas tree opening their Christmas presents.
6. Everyone tells you how great it must be to be born on Christmas Day! Ya. No.
7. You receive a lot of two-fer’s on December 25th. What’s a two-fer? A 2-for-1. Two presents rolled into one. A combo. Also known as a “Birthmas present”.
8. Speaking of combos, your birthday card (if you actually receive one) almost always mentions your “Christmas Birthday”. No funny cards for you. Your cards are full of snowy scenes, Santa, and Christmas decorations.
9. What’s worse? When you receive a Christmas card containing the handwritten words “oh by the way – Happy Birthday too!”
10. Your birthday gets lost in the excitement of everyone else’s Christmas. A quick birthday greeting, then – let the Christmas celebrations commence!
11. When you complain about your birthday getting lost in the Christmas festivities, people suggest you should celebrate your birthday on June 25th instead. Really? This is NOT helpful.
12. Your siblings also get presents on YOUR birthday.
13. You receive cheap birthday presents – everyone is broke by the time they finally get around to remembering they also need to buy you a birthday present.
14. The birthday gifts you do receive are wrapped in Christmas gift wrap.
15. Birthday gifts are often Christmas decorations for your home.
16. Any clothing you receive as a gift on your Christmas Birthday is often red or green…or both.
17. You never get to have an actual party on your birthday. No one is around to invite to your party – they have already left on their Christmas vacation.
18. Everything is always closed on your birthday.
19. You can’t take advantage of those “birthday freebies” – because everything is closed.
20. Your birthday cakes are always  “day olds”. Either bought the day before, or made the day before.
21. You miss out on the free lunch and birthday cake at work.
22. You pick another day during December to celebrate your birthday, only to find everyone is busy attending holiday parties.
23. You share your birthday with Baby Jesus – someone many people consider far more important than yourself. You’re also in constant competition with that jolly old elf, St. Nick.
24. You spend the month of December hearing everyone else speak of their plans for December 25th with nary a mention of your birthday.
25. You long for a “green” birthday once in a while, while everyone else is longing for their white Christmas.

Posted by Clyde

Sock vs Sack

I received a text last night and almost died laughing. It was so simple, but so Aunt Meaner.

Text between Crystal and Aunt Meaner:
      Aunt Meaner: How are you?
      Crystal: OK! Are you doing OK?
      Aunt Meaner: I'm fine. The only difference between a sock and a sack is the second letter.
      Crystal: So true lol!

Now, I read this and just burst out laughing out loud. All alone it is funny, but when you know the true meaning and thought pattern that goes with it, it is hilarious.

When we were children, my favorite thing to do at Christmas time was to hang my sock up over the fire place. It was the biggest thrill of all for me. Now in the beginning, we would take one of our regular socks and hang it up, but as the years went by, we became more creative. We tried to figure out how to come up with bigger types of socks to put up. I remember one year we tried to put up Mom's hose. That was a disaster. The weight of the fruit and candy caused the stocking to stretch almost to the floor and it looked so..... strange.  Weird, I suppose would be a better word for it. And for some reason, there didn't seem to be anymore in that socking than would have been in a sock. Strange thing how that was. 

Then there was the year Clyde was laid up in the bed with his elbows and knees all torn up from football. He played the pity party for all it was worth that year. He decided to put up an orange sack....Sack vs Sock.....And to this day, I do not know why Santa filled that sack up and just gave us the same or less than the usual amount. 

I have my theories. 

Theory number 1. Santa saw him and felt sorry for him.....I don't think so. Santa had been watching him all year and knew how mean he was to us girls... so that theory went out the window pretty quick. 

Theory number 2. Mom felt sorry for him and because he was her "baby boy" gave him more. 

Theory number 3. Mom, in all her years with Clyde, knew he would eat all the Christmas dinner the next day and hoped if she gave him more, he would be full and let us have some of the dinner, especially the cake. I thought about this one and decided that it didn't matter if he had placed a wheel barrow in place of a sock, he would still be able to eat all the food. 

Then there is theory number 4. The one I place the most common sense in....That after Santa, aka Mom, filled the socks, someone's knees got well enough for them to hobble over to the fire place and remove goodies from our sOcks to his sAck. 

Yes, I do believe in Greedy Guts (what Mom used to call us when we ate to much). So, if any of you have any other theories, please feel free to fill me in and I will be happy to look back on old times and enjoy the crazy Christmases we all loved.

Posted by Jeffery

Friday's Fun Foto #23

I still haven't figured out how Jeffery was able to put up three sets of rabbit ears in this photo.