Hi, Here I am back on the list after a couple months nursing my ills!

I would like to thank you for the “get well” cards, messages, and e-cards you sent me!  Also all the prayers and juice!

Now each day the mail is bringing me birthday cards and I am enjoying them. I have a thing about cards.  I have received such cheery notes that have made me feel so loved and all warm inside!  The Great Physician ministered to this old lady’s needs!  I appreciate your petitions in my behalf.  It is truly hard to find words to explain my gratefulness!

As I look back it was more or less a gradual decline but the week of July 13th I hit bottom for me.  Which meant I needed help to make it from one place to another besides feeling lousy!  However, the lousy bit was easier to cope with than the weakness.

I had been coughing quite a bit and spitting up brown stuff.  When Kin saw it he said it was blood and lost no time taking me to the Doctor Tuesday. The doctor confirmed Kin's thoughts and ran a number of tests.  I was running a temperature and apparently had a chest/lung infection going.  I took 2 rounds of antibiotics.

Kin stayed with me until Gary could get here Sunday.  Gary and Loraine brought my great-grandchildren, Sam and Katie [8 & 10] and remained here until the 31st when Lenney came and stayed until August 26th when Gary and Loraine returned. September 2nd was the first night I was left alone.

Gary and Loraine worked so hard to make things more user-friendly around here for me.  Gary and his childhood friend, Jim, put in a handicapped stool in the bathroom.  Gary helped Loraine rearrange my bedroom so I have very few steps to take from the door to the bed when I am confined more or less to the wheel chair.  Come to think of it, Sam was in on that also.  Little hands and feet can get into places bigger ones cannot!

Gary had planned on taking me to Idaho the later part of July and first of August for the Spudstock Reunion and also to spend some time with my grandchildren and other Hickman relatives in Oregon but as things progressed with my health it became increasingly apparent that that was not to be.  My husband has only two siblings left out of the seven; his sister, Stell, in Oregon who is 93 and his brother, Doyle, [87] here in Topeka.  And then there is “me”.  We are the only ones left.  Time does march on.

This experience for me has certainly made me stop and think and realize different circumstances bring mandatory changes to our lifestyle.  However each phase of our life has something good to offer even though some may be of a bittersweet nature!  With those changes challenges appear so in the end we must find courage and peace and cherish the challenge of each new day realizing that each is a gift from God.

Each morning as I awaken it seems increasingly important to give thanks to God for having the strength that I do.  Accepting thankfully the current cycle of life’s journey I am living in!  Living for today and not tomorrow for tomorrow will take care of itself as my Blessed Jesus has promised!

The brightest days, perhaps of all 2003, were those days I was allowed to enjoy my great-grandchildren, Sam and Katie.  Since it was looking more and more likely that I would not be able to travel, Gary had made arrangements for them to fly to Florida so that he could make certain that I would get to see them.  While they were here we played lots of board games and they were so cute running in place while I stood to do what exercises I could to try to regain strength needed to walk with the walker.

I could write a book on their antics and our talks together.  Oh how they steal their old granny’s heart!  I appreciated the gift of being able to enjoy them for a little while.  Even though I held on tightly, all too soon it all had to be filed in past memories!

Well I must close but want to say a BIG THANK YOU!  May God Bless each of
you in a special way.  

Most lovingly,  Addie here in Topeka at 642

MAY EVERYONE HAVE A FUN HALLOWEEN!

This old lady plans to and looking forward to my son, Kin, coming in and handing out the candy tonight and seeing all those little ones dressed up so cute.

When my husband was alive, he loved the modern Halloween nights.  He was always so anxious to see and talk to the little ones and he was the one that always handed out the candy.

But he did not have good memories of the olden days Halloween as he had got in trouble and was not even guilty.  It seem that a neighbor's house caught on fire.  And somehow they related it to the wagon that some pranksters had put on top of the roof!  He among other boys were blamed and his dad had to pay so much money.  Don't remember the amount.  He never went on another Halloween outing!

I am especially looking forward tonight to my granddaughter, Amanda [16], bringing her and her mother's ice hockey friend's little boy, Shawn,[2] to see me.  He, I am told loves the little Hershey kisses.  So I had Kin get a sack of them and put them in a little decorative bag for him with other things.  I will be disappointed if he doesn't show up.

The meals on wheels deliverer today was dressed up in costume.  Such a joy she was dressed up like a witch, It was really an elaborate costume.  I lifted my spirits.

Since my husband's death Kin has always came in and kept the tradition going and hands out the candy and tells me after all is said and done and he is gone, I am not to open the door for anyone.

Good to be looked after by caring and loving boys! The current Halloweens are fun but then there are the Halloweens of long ago.

There was a lot more "tricking" than "treating" going on! In those days everyone had an outhouse and no bath rooms in the country!  So Outhouses were very popular when it came to Halloween.  It was a time for out house to be turned over or maybe even carried to town or to a neighbors, cattle herded into small down town main streets blocked off by wagons and such to keep them corralled!  Wagons put on roofs of houses and so many things topsy turvey!  Hayracks turned over.

I always remember most of it was done late at night.  When anyone came by our house my dad was on the look out for them would get up and catch them and then join them to go on to other places!

Then there was the "tic tac" that they did on the houses and that was scary! Made horrible scary eerie noises!  As near as I can remember that was done with rosin on a telephone wire attached to the house. And you better believe my dad was in on that also! And of course there was the chalking of car windows and home and store windows!  I don't remember any treating in those days!

Well that was a fast track memory file of what I remember right now.  If you have stayed with me to the end.  Thank you for caring enough to listen to an old lady reminisce.

God Bless you all and your families as well,  Addie here at 642!

Subject: Interesting History Date: Sat, 12 Apr 2003 05: 13: 17 -0500

Next time you're washing your hands and the water temperature isn't just how you like it, think about how things used to be.  Here are some facts about the 1500s. If my memory serves me well. . .

Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May and still smelled pretty good by June.  However, they were starting to smell, so brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor.

Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water.  The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children -- last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water. "

Houses had thatched roofs -- thick straw -- piled high,  with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the dogs, cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof -- hence the saying "It's raining cats and dogs. "

There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could really mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That's how canopy beds came into existence.

The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt, hence the saying "dirt poor. " The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on the floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they kept adding more thresh until when you opened the door it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entranceway, hence, a "thresh hold. "

In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire. Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes the stew had food in it that had been there for quite awhile.  Hence the rhyme, "peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold,  peas porridge in the pot nine days old. " Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special.  When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man "could bring home the bacon. " They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and "chew the fat. "

Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with a high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning and death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous.

Most people did not have pewter plates, but had trenchers, a piece of wood with the middle scooped out like a bowl. Often trenchers were made from stale bread which was so old and hard that they could be used for quite sometime. Trenchers were never washed and a lot of times worms and mold got into the wood and old bread.  After eating off wormy, moldy trenchers, one would get "trench mouth. "

Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle,  and guests got the top, or "upper crust. "

Lead cups were used to drink ale or whiskey. The combination would sometimes
knock them out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up. Hence the custom of holding a "wake."

England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a "bone-house" and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive. So they thought they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the "graveyard shift") to listen for the bell; thus,  someone could be "saved by the bell"or was considered a "dead ringer"

And that's the truth. . . . (who ever said that History was boring)?

Addie here

This Holiday season I would like remind you of the reason!

The times are strange the future uncertain but God is real His Word is sure.

Out of all the "awfulness" that this old world throws our way there are still glimpses of beauty and warmth as we rest in His Everlasting Arms!  And the Blessed Assurance that Jesus is coming again SOON to take us to that beautiful home where there is no more death or pain or tears. Praise the Lord!

It is only as I travel down into that Valley of Age Of No Return that I realize how important TODAY is; and I praise God for being able to meet the challenges that age of today brings with it.  Tomorrow will take care of itself!

As you drink your juice each morning know that you are Blessed of Our Father.  I ask that He Bless you and minister to your needs and make His face to shine upon you and YOU FEEL THOSE ARMS AROUND YOU! AND PEACE! even though storms are raging!

Just the old lady here in Topeka, Kansas that appreciates so much all of your kindness and caring that you give me from day to day!  A BIG THANK YOU!
Addie here

Listen --  all my special HCPD'ers, 

I am sending up this prayer.  The author is unknown to me but says my feelings very well.  God Bless each of you.
Addie here

Dear Lord:  

Every single evening As I'm lying here in bed This tiny little prayer Keeps running through my head.  God bless all my family Wherever they may be,  Keep them warm and safe from harm For they're so close to me.

And God, there is one more thing I wish that you could do.  Hope you don't mind me asking,  Bless my computer too.  Now I know that it's not normal To bless a mother board,  But listen just a second While I explain to you 'My Lord'.

You see, that little metal box Holds more than odds & ends Inside those small compartments Rest so many of my FRIENDS.  I know so much about them By the kindness that they give And this little scrap of metal Takes me in to where they live.  By faith is how I know them Much the same as you We share
in what life brings us And from that our friendship grew.

Please, take an extra minute From your duties up above To bless those in my address book That's filled with so much love!  Wherever else this prayer may reach To each and every friend,  bless each e-mail Inbox And the person who hits Send.  When you update your heavenly list On your own CD-Rom Remember each who've said this prayer Sent up to God. Com. Amen.

ADDIE’S CHRISTMAS BEDTIME STORY [2003]

Each year, the world seems smaller and more troubled. This year is no exception.  The time we live in is strange indeed and the future uncertain but the Christmas Season brings us anew the Blessed Hope as we are reminded of that tiny baby born so many years ago in Bethlehem.  Praise God for His Gift, a perfect antidote for a world infected with such uncertainty.

On the other hand a joyous occasion occurred in Ohio this year.  Much excitement going on in Terry [Lenney’s son] and Addie’s household in July as Addie’s daughter, Angela’s wedding day approached.  Angela and Tim Back wedded July 20, 2003 with Anthony [Addie’s son] as best man!  Angela continues to work even though she is in college but will graduate in August in the Veterinary Medical Field.

Terry is still in the Internal Auditing department at Procter & Gamble, but has changed assignments.  He has been assigned as the technical leader of a team created because of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act legislation that was passed in 2002.  This law was passed in an attempt to improve shareholder confidence in corporate management following the Enron, MCI, Tyco, etc. financial debacles that have occurred over the last couple of years.  His assignment was to select the software P&G would use to assist the company in complying with this law and then to coordinate the installation, configuration, testing and deployment throughout the company.  He is conducting the configuration and testing phases now with plans to start deployment in April.  This project touches just about every part of the company, which makes the project quite large and complex.

The journey down into the valley of age of no return has brought less mobility for me this year and I have experienced some health problems that I would rather do without!

This resulted in my remaining on oxygen full time.  I declare I could author a book on a thousand and one ways to get tangled up in the “tail” I am forced to drag around.  I wish I had a penny for every time I ran over it, I would be a rich old lady! After about the tenth time of someone getting their feet caught in my hose and the hose flying off my ears and nose, I realized one of these days I may be sporting “dumbo ears”!

After my bout this summer I have decided no more worry what the future can bring but meet the challenges of the day.  Let tomorrow take care of itself. Different circumstances bring mandatory changes. However, each phase of our life has something to offer for that part of time even though some may be of a bittersweet nature!  With those changes challenges appear so in the end we must find courage and peace and cherish the challenge of each new day realizing each day is a gift from God.

I had hoped to go with Gary and Loraine to Idaho & Oregon this summer, however because of my getting completely down in July it made it too high a risk.  From July 13 until September 2 Kin did not want me to stay alone. Gary cancelled his trip to the Ohio wedding and came to relieve Kin.  When Lenney returned from the Ohio wedding he came to relieve Gary.  When Lenney left August 31 Gary and Loraine returned.

They endeavored to make things user-friendlier around here for me now that I have to use the wheel chair more.  Gary and Jim Roberts put in a handicapped stool in the bathroom.  Gary helped Loraine rearrange my bedroom so I have very few steps to take from the door to the bed when I am confined more or less to the wheel chair.  Come to think of it Sam was in on that also.  His little hands and feet could fit in and do things that theirs could not! They also brought my computer to the living room.  That was a big deal.  Jim helped Gary set up a new work area.  There was not enough room where my keyboard set to satisfy me so Gary and Jim figured out how to correct that. Results--Gary made me a new board and stained it to match the new table so I have the space I need for working genealogy, etc.  My hospital table serves double duty as side bar.  Jim and Ruby helped move furniture and rearrange the living room.  Ruby made a good, “straw boss” that the boys needed on the job!  [Jim –Gary’s boy hood friend]

When I think about the highlights of my year, I think of two things immediately. My GREATS [Sam 9 & Katie 11] visit and my 80th birthday party. Sam and Katie flew to FL in June and Gary and Loraine brought them by here in route home to Idaho.  We played lots of board games [UNO, Crazy 8 and I taught Sam Rummy] and they ran in place when I stood to do what exercises I could do when the timer went off every 45 minutes to try and regain strength needed to walk with the walker again.  Sam had a unique way.  When he tired he grabbed my walker handles and raised himself up and his little feet flew as he ran in place in mid air!  What wonderful memories!

These GREATS come with a “do and don’t list”, Gary and Loraine tried hard to
comply with it.  One evening in particular was a hoot!  Sam had asked his granddad, Gary, for I think juice or pop and Gary had let him have some and when Loraine learned of it she told him that was a “no no”!  Sam and I were at the table playing cards when they were having their “discussion” and I turned to Sam and said,  “Sam do you ever wet the bed” as he was sleeping on my divan. He put his little hand out and rocked it back and forth [like maybe so maybe not].  I said, “you better not “pee” on granny’s divan or I will jump up out of this wheel chair and run out the door and up the street and call the police.”  He looked at me a little bit and got a grin on his face and said, “Granny you can’t do that”!   I really enjoyed my GREATS we had some good talks around the table as we played games together.  A very good tape memory I run often.  I do so appreciate Gary making sure I got to see them this year.  Their dad, Arlain, & Jennifer are both in the medical field in Idaho.

Gary and Loraine had a card shower for my 80th birthday and hosted open house on the 28th in my honor.  Two weeks went by and they were still celebrating it.  It started off by their taking me to the Outback and then to the Hickman Reunion in Havensville.  Linda Fordham Horgan had made me a beautifully decorated delicious birthday cake and a large genealogy birthday card.  She had all the guests sign a leaf as they came in and put them on a genealogy tree on the card.  The card included family pictures including a cherished one of Hiram and Evoline Walker Hickman, Cliff’s grandparents. Linda had very artistically and cleverly put the card together.  They sang Happy Birthday to me.  All was a surprise and indeed another pleasant memory to file.

When we got home Loraine had the house decorated birthday festive style. Large Happy Birthday balloons [and I mean LARGE] and small ones too and Happy Birthday banners.  She also had my birthday cards received thus far bordering the walls of the living room.  I received at last count 127 cards.

Ralph Kanemitsu, Gary’s boyhood friend, came for my birthday and brought his
wife, Carol, and his mother, Doris.   Carol decorated the front porch with balloons and banners and streamers. Quite an honor to have them come all the way from Molokai, Hawaii.

After the open house celebration I tried to think who all came.  I immediately remembered 58 names to write down and counting!

After I went to bed that night I could not get it off my mind reminiscing about my birthday party--when had I ever had one before.  Then it came to mind, my mom had a “sweet 16” birthday party for me.  Then I let the memories roll.  Two different columnists of the Holton Recorder wrote articles about my birthday party.  Cliff lived in the Cedar Hill Community a few miles east of our Bucks Grove Community and he saw the articles in the paper.  He told me later about it and determined he wanted to meet that “Sweet 16 Birthday” girl.  It was a practice in those days for the young people to go to town on Saturday nights.  Sixty-four years ago boys with cars cruised Main Street while the girls watched with great anticipation! It was a few weeks after my birthday that Cliff came up to our car that my friend, Doris Harris, and I were sitting in.  We were parked in front of what is now the Soldier Hall.  Doris was sitting on the passenger side and he came up to that side and introduced himself and started talking.  Doris was doing more than her share of the talking I guess because he told her that he wanted to talk to me.  So for once she shut up!  He asked if he could take me home.  Since Doris was my guest, I asked her if she minded. She said she didn’t so I accepted.  They had a skating rink at that time in Soldier out by the lake and we went out there for a while. And the first thing I knew, here my dad was and told me, get out of the car that I was going home with him.  Explicitly--I had a guest and that was no way to treat her.  I tried to tell him that Doris didn’t mind but he would have none of that.  I thought boy that was it I would never see Cliff again.  But I did. He wrote to me and then came to see me.  In the meantime I had jumped off the porch and sprained my ankle badly.  I asked mom what I should do before accepting a date with him, as I didn’t know what to expect from dad.  Mom said she would take care of it and I guess she did because dad let me go that night on crutches.  And that started our dating.  From our south dinning room window I would watch for his little red ford roadster’s lights shining out in the darkness!  Our house sat on [what we called] a hill and I could see the headlights practically a mile away come over the first hill and dip down out of sight and up over the next and then the thrill of seeing him grew to pure innate!  He was a farm boy and there were chores to do every day so it would be dark before he could come.  That was the routine every Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday nights until we were married. Mom approved of Cliff, as she knew the family from when she was a young girl at home.  Cliff’s older brother and sister were more mom’s age and she had visited in their home with one of their cousins who was mom’s best friend, Prudence Wagonseller.

My birthday celebration did not end with open house.  The next day 29th, my
birthday, Ralph took us to the Golden Corral to eat, yet another celebration.  Then the following Sunday the Bottom Reunion was held at Soldier and Loraine made another birthday cake so another Happy Birthday occasion occurred!  A lot of work went to all to make it such a special birthday to remember!  I was pleased that all of my boys were here at one time.

They were all three here in April also when Lenney and Arlena came for Enterprise Academy Alumni.  Lenney had been quite active in the organization and contacting and whatever it takes to get the classmates to gather at times like that.  Class of 63.

I had a special Mother’s Day [2 doz. Roses from Lenney etc], enjoyed a few trips to Kennedy’s timber [a special place to reminisce about old times with Cliff & our early life together], trips to Sam’s, and trips to the Masterfarm Restaurant in McClouth owned by Kin’s friends, the Saxtons’ - that Lenney took me to.

Early in the year due to some unpleasant happenings there was a break in the caregivers and Kin had to fill in until things were organized and I could get help again.  Therefore, he had to do the laundry and help me with my baths & other things.  My bathroom is rather small and one evening while he was helping me with my bath he was sweating up a storm and I was feeling bad that he had to do so much for me I commented, “I ought to be 6 foot under”! To which a rapid fire answer came back, “Well when you going to start digging your hole.”  It caught me off guard and I thought a minute and thought I guess I can’t dig it! To which he said with that silly grin of his, “guess you are going to have to hang around a while then!” I now have a wonderful caregiver, Elba, my whole story could be written on her and how she has changed my world at home alone!

This year brought a the very sad revelation--my granddaughter, Lori’s husband, Bill, has been diagnosed with cancer of the colon spreading to the lungs and liver.  I fell in love with Bill when Lori first brought him to meet me over five years ago.  His protectiveness of her reminds me of Cliff so much.  I am so proud of Lori, she has put Bill first in her life and doing everything she can to make this time in Bill life as pleasant as possible.  God is Merciful and the Great Physician and can at just a word heal Bill.  ALL TO GOD'S GLORY!  I know it is necessary to accept God’s will, but it quite a different thing to understand it.  I will certainly appreciate your prayers in this matter.  He has lots of pain and please pray for his relationship with Jesus that he feel His loving arms about him and find peace.

The last time I talked to Bill, it turned out he comforted me instead of me being any comfort to him.  He is a very special person.

I have some wonderful nieces and nephews.  They are always doing or sending me something.  I was so thrilled to think that Ron and Nancy Hickman, VA, Troy’s son, took time to come and see me when they were in town for a short visit with family.  Their “little man”, Noah born in March was a delight! He was asleep when they came and Ron finally jiggled him awake.  I thought Oh No he won’t be happy.  But he awoke all smiles and believe it or not he wanted to come to me.  Now that was flattering to say the least.  I rolled up to Troy’s knees and told him he would have to help support my arms so I could hold him.  I was not going to miss this chance.  He was interested in playing with my “cow bell”!  It brings tears to my eyes as I sit here and tell you how sweet that little fellow is!  I got their Christmas Card this morning and guess what, photo of  “bare” little Noah with Santa’s hat on fixing to slide down the chimney!  I am eagerly expecting, niece, Marilyn and hubby, FL, to drop in this Christmas season also.

Lori, Gary’s daughter, invited Amanda to her house for a visit this summer and told her to feel free to bring a friend with her.  She didn’t have to be invited twice!  So she took her school chum, Megan and went to Orlando the latter part of June.  Gary went to get them at the airport and they spent some time with Gary and Loraine.  They enjoyed the beaches and Gary took them out on the ocean to fish and Amanda reeled in the largest kingfish of the season at 36.5 pounds.  The latter part of their trip was spent at Lori and Bill’s.  They spent lots of time at the amusement parks and had a whale of a good time with Lori.

Amanda, Kin’s daughter, played tennis again this year and won a couple of medals, a bronze one for taking 3rd in doubles at a tennis meet and a silver one for taking 2nd place as a team.  She will be 17 in January and is a junior in High School.  She is sporting a car her dad got her this summer and is looking forward to having her braces [teeth] removed the 22nd  after having to deal with them a couple years!

She comes or calls quite regularly when I am here alone to see what her old granny needs done and plays cards with me and her dad.  She and I have some great times playing cards.  About the time I beat her a couple times straight and always say “whoopee for me” after each game, she throws the cards down and says, that’s enough whoopee for me!  She loves to tease her dad. I will have to share with you one of her episodes.  We were playing cards as usual and Kin picked up a piece of candy you know the kind Sonic gives out.  She gave it a flip as it was going in his mouth and it flew on the floor.  He picked it up and popped it in his mouth.  She said, “Granny peed on the floor.”  He took it out of his mouth and looked at it and turned up his nose and threw it in the trash.  I really had not but Amanda and I sure got tickled at him.  We are a crazy bunch around here at times!  But Scripture says, “a merry heart doeth good like a medicine”!  I try and make sure I have something to laugh about every day.  However there are some days I get headed for a “pity party” and ask Kin to go get some snacks for the party but he always refuses and says there is no time for “pity” parties.

At times I think - Oh what a pain to the boys I must be probably seeming stubborn, unappreciative, lazy and all those things old people become to their children and then one of them says or does something that makes me feel loved in spite of it all.  For example a few weeks ago when I was having so much trouble getting my legs in bed and after putting me to bed, Kin leaned down and kissed me on the forehead and said, “Mom, I am proud of you. You try so hard”...his words really touched me.

Kin is still working for KDOT.  He suffered 1st, 2nd and 3rd degree burns at work a few weeks ago.  They were filling cracks in the highway and a faulty valve splattered 450-degree tar on his arm.  The doctor said no way bacteria could live through that so no need for disinfecting the area!  So bandaged it and gave him antibiotics.  He still shows and hunts his coonhounds.  He had to have Lexy put to sleep January 27th because of lung cancer.  He had her cremated.  This year Elvis, who is a Grand Champion and a Nite Champion, was qualified for the 2003 Governor’s Cup Hunt, and was high scoring dog of the hunt.  He also won five Nite Champion casts but did not come up with a win toward Grand Nite Champion.  Elvis’ half-sister, Midge, won two hunts and placed 2nd in another, which made her a Nite Champion in 2003.

Kin and Gary call me every day. Sometimes twice and Lenney has began calling
me often also.  Lenney’s Arlena keeps busy with her Quitter’s Guild and Kin’s LeAnna works at State Dept. of Cosmetology.  I have a very caring family and hear from all often whether it be by phone or e-mail or snail mail. Terry and Addie continue to shower me with “every occasion cards and more” and Lori, even though under lots of stress, does not forget her old granny. I receive such thoughtful cards and calls from her regularly. Even Sam and Katie have their own E-mail address and communicate with their old granny.

I recently finished reading a little book entitled, “God’s Last Altar Call” and I was so impressed I would love to share it with everyone if I could.

Praying your Holiday Season is one of warmth, thanksgiving and family and may you have an excellent New Year 2004!

Addie still here at 642 in Topeka December 16, 2003