Things that have happened yesterday and today...most are ridiculous

When I came into the den this morning I found Rosie sitting in my seat. She made no attempt to move. She JUST got up about 10 minutes ago and gave me a look to say, "YOU WILL be getting up when I come back." This has been happening A LOT lately. Emma said, "If Rosie could talk she and Grandma would be best friends." I think Emma's correct.




Cool weather is making an attempt to return. Godspeed cool weather stick around please. We're tired of 90 degree heat.

Just a little while ago Emma and I went to get Olivia from school and as we were turning a corner, we were accosted by a butt crack. A man was bent over weeding and his pants weren't tall enough. And although we both laughed, it was a shock to my system. AND if I was so offended then why was I disappointed I forgot to go the same way home so it could happen to Olivia as well? It's possible my mind works in a different way from normal people.

Addy's also thrilled about the cool weather because she's been outside running laps. The whole family enjoys this immensely and whoever sees it happening has to inform the rest of us.

I HATE WITH A PASSION OF A THOUSAND SUNS the Harrison Ford environmental commercial that plays on the radio! If I were interested in what he said I'd still hate it! It's so monotone and depressing as he says something ridiculous like, "What if you had to choose between a giraffe or a flower?" What? You're an idiot. "What if I had to choose between an idiot or you?" OH WAIT THAT'S THE SAME PERSON!!!

It's ridiculous.

Which reminds me even though I'm talking about today, I'm remembering that yesterday lots of stuff happened that was ridiculous. At one point I said, "I need a list of things that are ridiculous." To which Melanie said, "I think the only one not on it would be you maybe?" I AGREED COMPLETELY! It's possible she was being sarcastic when she said it, which was also ridiculous.

So here's my list of ridiculous:

Mollie you know I love you but bejeweled pumpkins are ridiculous. Sometimes Grandma and Lydia must be told no. This pumpkin might be hip if we were in a Halloween version of the movie The Breakfast Club or Pretty in Pink since bedazzling or bejeweling ANYTHING was even questionable 20+ years ago.

This in no way should take away from Mollie's craftiness. She was just following really ridiculous orders.

I ALWAYS have photographic evidence to prove the crazy that lives in our houses.




Back to my list of ridiculous:
Harrison Ford and his commercial
Bugs in lettuce....ewww
Butt cracks in public
The bazillion times I've driven to and from ULM
Pay cuts that affect me in ANY WAY
Addy trying to eat the mailman through the window EVERY SINGLE DAY!! RIDICULOUS!!
How trying to cover one headboard in one room of my house can take 5 days and 4 trips to fabric stores....as I've documented before these stores are my own personal version of a horror movie.
How trying to cover one headboard in one room of my house has now turned into painting the room? RIDICULOUS!
ANYONE that lives in Washington DC and expects us to believe they want to "help us"
Rosie back in my spot when I had to leave.


There will be more!

I'M THE QUEEN OF RIDICULOUS!

Wait a minute.....that didn't come out right.....

Some pics of the siblings

Carrie at the beauty parlor or tuned in to outer space.


Melanie and Becky looking pretty adorable.


Frank and Dale looking adorable.


These 2 faces are pinchably cute.


From left to right is Melanie, Dale, Becky and Frank...so cute.

Update about the blog

I'm working on the year 1999. It was a doozy. LOTS of stuff happened that year and very little of it was fun. It's so long I'm not sure I can fit it all into one post. I'm all discombobulated about my blog these days.

Billie June from her childhood to her children

All of these photos are of my mother Billie June Etheredge Walker. 

This first one was taken by a traveling photo man that would come through towns back in the day. I guess it was kind of like a traveling Olin Mills, if you will. I'm not sure why the photo man picked a goat and a cart for photo taking, but it obviously enticed Bessie to want this picture. 

BJ looks quite adorable in her Little Miss Bluebonnet 1929 cart. She was 2 years old at the time, which means this photo was taken 81 years ago.


In these next 2 pictures it looks like she has on the same outfit as the goat pic, so I'm guessing maybe it was the same day and just another backdrop.




This picture features a slightly older Billie June wearing a dress made by Bessie. Bessie, her Mom, made all of Mom's clothes. Bessie was a self taught seamstress who made beautiful clothes, as well as upholstered furniture. I'm only capable of sewing buttons back on, but only after the piece of clothing sits around for a year or two. Buttons don't just jump back into their spots.


Billie June second from left, at the pool with some friends. She's looking mighty sassy if you ask me.


Billie June as a beautiful young lady. Now she's a beautiful OLD lady. Ha Billie!


These next 2 pictures were taken on June 30, 1949. Billie June Etheredge with her soon to be husband Frank Meredith Walker on their wedding day. This was taken in Corsicana in front of Gran and Grandma's house. 

They eloped to Tyler because of the whole Baptist marrying a Catholic thing. It was frowned upon A LOT. That's her wedding dress. We still have it. They look happy and extremely stylish. They went to New Orleans on their honeymoon and ate at A Court of Two Sisters while they were there.


This picture was taken in Tyler Texas, and includes the priest who married them as well as Dad's brother Howard and his wife Mary Catherine who were their witnesses at the ceremony. I think they all look smashing, including the priest whose ensemble was "chosen" for him


This was taken in the front yard at 212. That's Dad's mother Maggie Walker. 


This is Billie and Frank's firstborn Frank Meredith Walker Jr. He was born at the Navarro Clinic in Corsicana Texas. They both look pretty happy with their boy. Billie looks very glamorous for just having had a baby. She must have come prepared because she has a little makeup case on the window sill. I wish I had that case! I love it.


This is Navarro Clinic where Frank, Becky and Dale were born. It's now an apartment building in Corsicana.


I've posted some of these photos before, but I love them so I'm posting them again. This is all 8 of us on Easter morning 1963 in Monroe Louisiana. Although I'm pretty sure I'm picking a wedgie, I think we all look fantastic.


I think you can see the joyful look on Billie June's face here. She's surrounded by her 6 children and is happy with her role as a mother. She was and still is great at it.

A lean week

I know Sunday afternoon has come around again because football's on TV and my kids are studying furiously trying to catch up before Monday comes.

I don't know that I believe cool weather will ever come this year. It's just not working out like I'd planned. My favorite tree in town is losing it's leaves before they turn the beautiful color of yellow and I'm so disappointed. Even small children are praying for rain. It's a dust bowl outside.

This hasn't been a bad week but my attitude has been questionable. ULM has a new president, not sure how that will affect John's job. That's all I'll say about that. Owen said a student came to school drunk Friday. How does that happen? It's so sad and pitiful. And it's not a story I ever thought one of my kids would ever come home telling me. And that also makes me sad.

I cleaned every inch of my bedroom yesterday and let me say someone should be ashamed of the mounds of dust behind the furniture. SOMEONE dropped the ball on being a good housekeeper. I'm gonna have to talk to John about that.

As you can tell by this post it's been a lean week for interesting things. My main goal in life is transporting my children back and forth when someone needs a ride, which is often.

I'll end this pain by taking a much needed nap. Maybe something interesting will happen in my dreams.

More Old Photos

This picture was taken at the Garvin Farm in Mildred, Texas. It looks like they may have been gathering up for the next photo.

My aunt Mollie identified all the people in this photo but there are a couple of people she didn't know. The first lady on the left in the dark dress is unidentified, next to her is my aunt Mollie, next is my grandmother Gee, next to Gee in the very back is her sister Ida holding Frank, In front of Ida is Granny Garvin and in front of Granny Garvin is Howard. The lady standing wearing the black hat is Aunt Eva, and in front of Aunt Eva is her daughter Frances, my dad's cousin. The lady in the black skirt sitting in the front is unidentified, the man in the white shirt is Grandpa Garvin with Joe Walker or Lee Ward in front of him. The man holding the straw hat may be Frank Garvin.

Granny and Grandpa Garvin, Mary Lynch and Joseph Patrick, were the parents of Maggie our grandmother we called Gee. Maggie was my dad's mom. I'll have more about all of these people later on.

This is Granny and Grandpa Garvin.


This is Granny Garvin with my dad Frank


This picture was taken in front of our house we call 212. That's Frank, my dad in the driver's seat, his brother Joe's in the passenger seat and his brother Owen's in the rumble seat. It's Owen's car. I love love love this picture.


This is Ida Garvin. Love the picture, love the hairdo, I question the entire rose bush on her chest. There's absolutely a long stem that could possibly poke her in the eye if she turned her face. Someone should've rethought this BEFORE the picture was taken.


This is my Aunt Nina with her husband Jay McClung. I love their outfits. She's looking especially snazzy in her fur trimmed coat. Billie June says this is on the steps of the high school.

Old family photos

I am LOVING the old photos these days and I'll be posting them for a while. I got some more family history from Mom today and I'll be working on that as well but there's still so much more to get.

These pictures are a random sampling of things to come. I wish I could have known these people who passed away before I arrived but it was not to be.

The lady on the left is my great grandmother, Gran's mother, Myrtle Leona Monroe Etheredge. After seeing this photo of her I recognize that I have 2 things in common with her. The lady on the right is Gran's cousin Beverly, her mom was Jewel, Gran's sister.


This is Gran, Bessie and Billie June outside the house they lived in before they moved to the farm. Billie June is looking quite prissy.


Here on the left is Big Frank with his brother Joe somewhere in Europe during World War II.


We can't decide who these 2 girls are. And this is why I wish I had done a better job of getting the info from Mollie and Nina before they left us. Now we'll never know. The iron fence in the background is beautiful.

This is Big Frank and a lady named Frances Hunt. She worked for Maggie and Jim. The rocking chair makes me say UGH.


This is Gran's family. Starting on the left, that's Truly, his sister Jewel, his mom Myrtle Leona holding the baby Johnny Faye who died of whooping cough when she was tiny. Gran talked about the terrible night she died and I think it grieved him each time he remembered it. His father William Edgar is the really tall man, Gran's little brother Rayward (what were they thinking), and the last man on the right was Myrtle Leona's brother, who was a detective for the railroad. BJ couldn't think of his name. He has a badge on his belt and Mom said Gran said he was always a snazzy dresser.


This last photo is a real treasure. It's a great photo of my dad's father, James Gibson Walker. I have much to say about him when I get it all straight on paper. Hopefully that will be soon. Looks like he done lassoed himself a cow.

There's more to come...

The week that I'm living...

Well this week isn't producing much excitement around here except the robbery of course. So far the biggest news is John put flea medicine on our dogs and it drove them nuts. Poor dogs, but it had to be done. And Addy's losing hair in certain spots on her back and she has red splotches on her as well. Ugh....I don't want to go to the vet so I Benadryled her up like I used to do my kids and she went down like a house of cards. Gotta love me some Benadryl.

Also I still hate walking for exercise. If I had a goal, like, walking towards ice cream...I'd probably be much more enthusiastic.

Another also if anyone's interested I found some more pictures of our uncle Joe and I added them to the post I did of him. Go back and take a look if you'd like.

It rained tonight for the first time in 2 months...hallelujah! I've missed rain.

Yesterday it occurred to me that I hadn't moved forward on chronicling the year 1999, but it has now begun. Not sure how long it's gonna take but since 1998 was not so good, the follow up of 1999 isn't much better. But I'm gonna do it. The years of 1998 and 1999 had lots of difficult things happen in our family such as surgeries, medical issues, more than one car accident...I'll be glad to get back to the good stuff. But as for me, as life happens, I discover I haven't been able to escape the difficult times. You know those times where you sit and wallow and say, "Why me God?" It's curious to me that when I've been hit in the face with a pile of poo I always say why me but when the good times are rolling I rarely ask that question. So as I live my life and learn as I go, I continue to pray and hope for the best. And even though I want the great stuff for everyone, it just hasn't always worked out that way.

Some day, when I'm ready, and I'm not yet, I'll tell about the year that was for John and I and our kids. It was the most difficult year of our marriage and our family but we are still here. We are still together and we didn't kill each other. We stuck it out together through the uncertainty of jobs and money and the death of our beloved Dottie and I feel like I can breathe a little bit....for now. Tough times knows no age, gender or religion.

Which reminds me I did finish my Bible reading in 60 days. I know people were waiting on the edge of their seats for this information. I started a new Bible reading on October 1. So far so good.

The changes that may be ahead for me and my family in the next year are making my stomach a little iffy but I know there's nothing I can do about it. This time next year Caitlin may not even be living in Monroe.

Growing pains hurt no matter how old you get.

I can't take it

Sister Wives is weird and gross.

Update on the stealing

We don't have our stuff back.

But it's since been discovered that the chickens were stolen sometime Friday night....maybe in time for fried chicken on Saturday. I'm so grieved about the poor little chickens. I'm not sure I can look at photos of them without wondering if they are dead or alive. I mean if they are still alive, could they be identified? We have lots of pictures of them. We could have a chicken line up. In case you can't tell, I'm very worried about the chickens. John thinks they killed them before they took them so as not to have chickens in the ford Taurus. If it's true, that's so brutal.

Also an outside light bulb was unscrewed. So, the plot thickens. Did they stop by during the day to unscrew the light because they weren't sure if it was a motion detector light and when the slime balls came back that night they would be motion detected? Or did they do it when they began the stealing? The answer really doesn't matter but it makes me curious.

I need my own crime lab and assistants because the police don't care.

More later...

Thieves Suck

Well tonight I'm extremely frustrated and pissed. How do people get to the place where they think anything is theirs for the taking? How do you just decide to go break into someone's home and take what you want? I'm ready to crack some heads.

Dale and Lydia arrived in Corsicana this evening to find that the house and little room had been broken into. They busted a window and broke the glass in the back door. It makes me so mad.

So far the stolen items include:
2 TVs
1 microwave
1 stereo system
lots of tools
1 air conditioner that was broken....our trick on them
1 coffeemaker
1 maul and ax
THEY TOOK OUR FREAKING SILVERWARE!!!!
THEY TOOK THE FRICKING CHICKENS!!!!!!
AND THEY TOOK OUR TOILET PAPER!!!
Maybe they took the tp so in case the police caught them and they **** themselves they would have some?

I don't know but it's absurd.

I mean....they took the chickens and now the poor little chickens have been relocated against their will. If anyone sees 4 chickens in a Ford Taurus, call the police. They're hostage chickens! I just hope they weren't supper last night.

And now I'm posting the following excerpts from emails that flew after the stealing was discovered. I've decided that I'll not name some of the participants so as not to have my head clunked together with someone else's. But.....people....you just can't make some of this stuff up.

Melanie: Well peeps it's happened grans house was broken into and they took EVERYTHING tvs microwave coffeepot our SILVERWARE all the tools they left the acs and beds WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE WE GONNA DO???????? Oh yeah they broke the glass in porch door and window over the stove

Lindsey:Well don't ask Lisa for ideas. She has no good ones.

Lisa:Whatever Lindsey.

Lindsey:You know its true!!

Carrie:Are they calling the police?

Lindsey:Police came and went. Basically nothing they can do.

Lisa:The policed have been there. We are on out own (I left in all my typos. The only explanation I have is that I wasn't wearing my glasses.)

Anonymous person:(you know who you are):But they took silverware then it sounds like they didn't have a truck. My detective self figures.

(This is an editor's note: That's one of the funniest things I've ever read in my life.)

Lisa: Ummm I'm gonna need some explanation about that

Anonymous person: I MEAN that they couldn't fit chairs in a CAR obviously..... They didn't have room to steal chairs if they took everything else tvs fit in a car but unless I am there to fit them in my size car they didn't have a vehicle big enough to take chairs!!!!!!!!! Explained enough????

Lisa:No because silverware fits anywhere

Lindsey:Lydia now that stealing is in the air I may steal your perfectly shaped punkins at gmas!!!

Caitlin:Olivia is adamant that they are illegal immigrants!!! It's cracking me up. First she thought that since they took the silverware it could only be illegal immigrants but then when I just told her about the TP she said well that just confirms it. Who else would do that.

Carlie:Olivia, I totally agree. Its like robbery 101....if there is toilet paper, ALWAYS take it. Always take the **** tickets.

Editor's note, after it was discovered that the chickens had been stolen, the following email was sent:

Carrie:So they live somewhere in the country so they can have fresh eggs!!

Maggie:Or fresh chicken...

Carrie:So they either had an interesting ride home with a car full of chickens or they came prepared!!!

Lindsey:Carrie what's the appropriate chicken stealing car?

Lisa:Ha ha ha ha Lindsey. And yes Carrie I'm waiting to hear this.

Carrie:Well if they didn't have a cage to put them in they was just a flyin!!!!!!!

Lisa:We need to know the car choice though. You haven't answered that. I'm thinking a ford Taurus.

Carrie:well what ever car is big enough for me to bend over so yal can kiss my wide lily white...............think about it people!!!!!!!!! they came prepared to steal the fowl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Carlie:Hahahahahahahahahahahahhaah "They came prepared to steal the fowl!!!!" One of the best sentences ever typed. Hahahaha

Melanie:I am never shoeless in corsicana

Carrie:That's very wise

So then Becky emailed asking for an updated list of the things taken. Note the fowl reference which is so freaking hilarious I can barely stand it.
Becky:So what is missing?
TVs
Microwaves
Coffeemaker
Tools (like in the living room?)
Silverware
Maul
Ax
Fowl
TP
What about quilts and bedding?

Carrie:Mother said they did not steal the swings and don't know about the lawnmower but they would have to have bolt cutters for that and they probably couldn't fit those in the ford Taurus and would have had to ride the POS mower away and we all know it won't start.I assume you have read all the emails to understand the car reference

Becky:Reference to the Taurus yes got it

Back to the editor....if you don't know what POS stands for, figure it out. I'll give you a hint, the mower won't run at all. Even in the state of pist ness I'm in about the stealing of our stuff, I literally have laughed so hard I've cried while putting this post together.

A wrap up of the week that was...

I've got the computer for the next 5 minutes so I'd better make good use of the time because people are lined up to use it for schoolwork. I guess that comes first. I've already mapped out most of the week that happened so the few tidbits left are:

We had a huge owl in the back yard last night. Addy found him. She was barking at something up high and when we walked out, he was just sitting on the power line looking at us. He was not afraid. Our cat Willie needs to stay low. The Internet says they eat lots of small things including cats. Yikes! I'm pretty sure Willie is too fat to handle flying through the air. Let's hope so.

So far the fall leaves are not cooperating with me for photographicness. They are all just sort of shriveling up and falling off due to the extreme drought conditions we are currently in. I'm still hoping for a few good pictures but I'm just not sure if it will happen.

I heard a person warming up a horn for band practice the other day when I was picking Owen up from school. It was quite delightful as the breeze was blowing and the music was playing. We stayed for a while and watched as the kids marched and played. That's not easy to do, walk backwards or make a circle as they were playing. Nu uh....couldn't do it no way. I was impressed.

I have a couple of ideas for some posts but it's been lean lately so they may be few and far between for a bit.

I really need to be in Corsicana but as hard as I've tried to get there, it's just not likely to happen til Spring. Sigh...

While we were in the car last night, one of my daughters (not Emma or Olivia) was getting ESPN updates about the LSU football game. She doesn't know why. BUT as one update came in, she said and I quote, "LSU just did something to score 3 points." Hmmmm.....Caitlin might it have been a field goal? I think you may need to know a little bit more about football dear.

Last night at the supper table as the girls were arguing about something, Owen tried to talk me into going to get some ice cream and he said, "Let's just us go Mom and we can leave them here to stew in their bitterness."

Why can't ice cream be fat free and still taste delicious?

I think I need to record my life because I hear lots of funny stuff as I go but I can never remember any of it.

Total bummer.

Jospeh Garvin Walker

It's been a long time since I did a post about one of my dad's siblings so I thought I'd do one today.

Joseph Garvin Walker, born April 5, 1915, was the 5th child of James Gibson and Margaret Jane Garvin Walker. He was closest in age to my dad who was the baby of the family. I can see from pictures that he was handsome and I've been told he was somewhat mischievous. He worked as a paymaster in World War II because he'd been schooled as a bookkeeper, and that's about all I know about him.

Joe never fought in a battle and he came home safely from the war, but on his way to work out of town, he was killed in a car accident on September 17, 1947. Maggie's precious son had survived war but somehow died tragically driving down the road in Texas.

I don't understand life.

I would love to have known him.

















This photo says, "sweatin it out" Jan. 1945 France

The Corsicana Flood of 2008

A few weeks ago Olivia wrote a paper for her English class documenting our stuck car incident in Corsicana. She made an A. Yay! I'm posting the A paper with pictures to show the extreme rain conditions that we had during our stay. It rained so much it was incredible. There have been a couple of times I've been in Corsicana when it rained this much. The roads flooded and the pasture was near swimming hole levels. The kids and dogs had a blast in the water and it looks like we were having lots of fun. But even so we made the decision to go home early. I'll let Olivia's paper take over from here.

BUT....before you read this beware.....he who has NEVER done anything stupid can throw the first stones.

Yep, thought so.

I hear no rocks whizzing by my head.

The photographic proof

When we arrived, it looked like this....




After a day or so, it looked like this....