Pottery Bowls, Faded Photos, and Canning Jars

I turned the radio on the other morning on my drive up to Mom and Dad's house. The lyrics in a song hit a chord with me "you can't buy a house in heaven".   How true that is today as it has always been. I immediately thought of the things we collect and acquire throughout life and that none of it leaves here with us. I've been spending weeks cleaning out my parents basement, and it is pretty much coming down to old pottery bowls, faded photos, and canning jars. My Dad and I discussed not long ago about where does the keeping of sentimental items end. He has things of his great grand parents, grand parents  and parents and they will continue to be handed down but where does it all end. The tools are divided, Mom's glassware, and the contents of the fruit cellar, but honestly it is the little things that mean the most. A couple of weeks ago Dad wanted to drive by his great grandparents and grandparent's farm.  The "home place", where it all started for us Felton's in Rowlesburg. The foundation is all that is left of the original house. Old faded photos show a farm house, garden, chickens, children and dog.  All that make a family, but in the end a stone foundation stands and memories for my dad's generation. You really can't buy a place in heaven no matter how much material things you have or collect. In the end, someone goes through everything and wonders.  Some is kept, some discarded and other things given away. The longer I spend clearing cobwebs, scrubbing basement walls and floors and going through my parents basement where a collect of a lifetime of 60 years of marriage reside, I find myself wanting less and less and rather cling to the memories my parents made in the basement raising four children. We can not buy a place in heaven with things or take them with us but hopefully the memories do cling to our souls like the cobwebs to the ceiling in my parents basement.

Big City Chris Visits Country Girl Debra

Chris, as in Chris Phillips the person who constantly agitates me on face book came for a visit to the “burg”, as in Rowlesburg, week end before last.  Chris acts like he doesn’t like me but he is totally fascinated with me, as most people are.  He couldn’t just say he was coming to Rowlesburg to visit me so he came up with all these lame excuses of things he wanted to do with other people. I had Justin do a photo shoot of the day so I had proof that Chris actually lowered his self to hang out with me in Rowlesburg. 

The day began with Rob, Justin, and Chris making Rob’s hot pepper relish. I hate hot peppers, so this was not about me but I did have Justin take a few pics.  This was the day before Rob fell totally ill and ended up in the hospital for a week, which will be a blog later.  If you want to know how to make hot pepper relish ask Rob because I could care less.

Then it was off to lunch at the Thirsty Bear. I had chicken strips and cheese sticks, Chris and Justin had the special meatball hoagie.  Cassie got a sandwich and her and Justin shared deep fried pickles and cheese sticks. I made Chris get a pic with Brandy.

 

A must stop in Rowlesburg is Barretts’s Antiques and Primitives. Chris and Justin think they are pioneer folks with their hunting, fishing and canning so I knew that Chris would like Barrett’s Shoppe. I go there for decorating ideas and items to help decorate the house in Rowlesburg.  Rob tries to keep me from going there but as everyone knows I don’t listen to Rob or anyone else. 

Target practice was next on the agenda for the day. Chris and Justin made me stay home and dog sit Buster and Maya because they say that me and guns together are scary, even for them. So off Chris, Cassie and Justin went to Bell Hill with an arsenal of weapons to target practice. I think I am perfectly capable of safely shooting guns.  Justin just has some kind of hang up because I like to act out scenes from movies like Dirty Harry and Terminator. So I am not in any of the target pics either. I was really looking forward to shooting Chris’s automatic assault weapon.

 

Chris and Co. returned to the house and we decided to hit the meadow so the dogs could play in the river and meadow. Justin built a fire. I have no idea why but he did. I sat by the fire and watched the dogs in the river and gave everyone advice on life, which I know a lot about.

  Chris and I had our best friends on face book formal photo taken, possibly for a Christmas card together. I think we look happy, maybe a little fake but good enough for a Christmas card together. 

 

 A day in Rowlesburg is not a day in Rowlesburg without a trip to Cool Springs for peanut butter milkshakes.  I’ve tried to tell Chris that you can get anything you want at Cool Springs, kind of like “Alice’s Restaurant”.

 

 Chris never listens to me so of course he was surprised that not only could you get a peanut butter milk shake, but everything from a foot long hot dog with the works to chicken poop by the ton.

 

100 Things I'm Not Going To Miss About School

1. Opening Day Meeting At PHS  2. Opening Day Picnic at PHS  3. Opening Day Grade Level Meetings 4. Beginning of the Year Staff Meeting  5. Going to School a week early to open up my classroom (unpaid) 6. Getting up early  7  Unpacking my room  8. In service meetings   9.  Insincere welcome back comments from colleagues  10. Sign in sheets  11. The question, "Did you have a nice summer?"  12. Cleaning out cabinets  13. Cleaning out my desk  14.  Counting out the million back to school forms for the kids  15.  The list of things I'm suppose to do before the kids come  16. Just one more staff meeting when I need to be in my classroom  17. Putting forms and books on the kid's desk  18. Trying to figure out what to wear  19. Reading all the polices on line, like "how to handle vomit" 20. Getting up and trying to do something with my hair at 6 in the morning  21. Trying to remember everything I need for the day at 6 in the morning  22. Hearing the alarm go off  23. Listening to administrators  24. Pretending like I'm listening to an administrator  25. Pretending like I'm paying attention during teacher's meetings  26. Trying to refrain from making a comment at a meeting when an administrator says something dumb  27. Trying to  refrain from making a comment when a teacher says something dumb  28. Being semi nice at 7 o'clock in the morning 29. Signing in a W on a sign in sheet, like people don't notice when I'm absent, especially an entire classroom full of kids 30. The ridiculous forms that end up in my mailbox  31. Putting on makeup before I'm awake  32. Answering Rob's questions before I am a wake  33. Lessons plans  34. Extended day meetings on Mondays  35. One more thing to teach 36. Scrubbing my classroom floor. 37. Not being able to go to the bathroom 38.  No toilet paper when I finally get to the bathroom 39. No paper towels when I finally get into the bathroom  40. The toilet not being bolted to the floor in the bathroom  41. Making copies  42.  Broken copiers  43. Lice checks  44. Being coughed on 45. cleaning up vomit  46. grading papers  47. bus duty  48. lunch duty  49. recess duty 50. inside recess duty  51. bag lunches 52. no lunch  53. short lunches  54. eating quickly 55. cleaning off my desk  56. cleaning my room  57. averaging grades  58. doing midterms  59. doing report cards  60. lunch count 61. attendance  62. collecting forms 63. putting forms in alphabetical order 64. fund raisers  65. substitute plans when I'm sick  66. begging for a day off when a family member dies  67. working late 68. grading papers on week nights late  69. giving up  my weekends to do school work 70. flu and cold season  71. tattling  72. teacher clothes  73. teacher holiday clothes  74. cleaning off my vehicle on snowy mornings  75. Trying to make it across the ice packed parking lot to the front door  76. Wearing  an ID tag  77.  Fire drills  78. Someone trying to tell me how to teach who hasn't taught for 30 years 79. Waiting for someone to decide whether to have school on snow days  80.  2 hr delays  81. Conferences  82. Meetings  83. Memos  84. The statement,  "The county office said"  85. Not being allowed to have an opinion  86. Someone throwing up on my desk  87. Faculty Senate Meetings 88. Buckwheat Week at KES  89. No place to park  90. Cleaning up after school parties  91. Listening to other teachers tell you how great they are  92. Training sessions  93. Snow day packets  94. Surveys  95. Announcements  96. School bus rides to anywhere  97. Team meetings  98. Anyone who thinks they are a specialists 99. Textbook trainings  100.  Did I mention administrators

Rob's surgery

I honestly try to not make everything about me, but Rob's surgery has taken a toll on me.  First, I had to get up early to take Rob to the hospital. I grabbed a quick breakfast at McDonalds which took me a half hour and two floors of the hospital to eat. While they were preparing Rob for surgery, I tried to make myself comfortable in the waiting room.  I set up my lap top, book, the rest of my breakfast and picked a comfy chair.  I thought I was good to go.  NO!! No internet access, so I walked to the nurses station and asked for the pass code.  I assumed since everyone from Motel 8 to McDonalds has wireless access that the hospital would. The first nurse said she didn't think they had wireless service. The physician sitting behind her on his mini lap top obviously on wireless, interrupted and said "Yes, we do, I'm on it now." The other person at the nurses station thought they had wireless but didn't know the access code. She said she could call the tech person but that they were really mean to everyone.  The physician said, "She is nice to me." I thought but didn't say.  " No shit, everyone is nice to doctors at a hospital, because they can get your ass fired." Anyway, they said they would check about the access code. I told them to let me know and that I was going back to the waiting room. I went into Rob's room to complain about the internet access to him.  He was hooked up to an IV and had his body shaved clear up to his chest, which I thought was a little ridiculous since his incision would be down south. Anyway, Rob informed me that I was being insensitive and making his surgery about me. Rob will be heavily medicated the next few hours.  I needed something to do. I went back to the waiting room.  The lady came and informed me that there is no service for patients or family members.  I suggested that it was the 21st century and they might want to rethink that.  She said I could fill out a complaint form.  I asked her if it was on line. I went back to Rob's room, gave him a kiss and sent him off to surgery. Back to the waiting room.  Thank Goodness I brought my book, "Listening to Prozac" to read. I'm reading it to find out everything I can about Prozac since my shrink prescribed it for me.  Some people aren't big fans of it but I am and everyone who has to live with me always makes sure I take it every morning. Some people tend to think I need medicated.  I have no idea why.  Oh, yea, I forgot this was about Rob's surgery. Did I mention it was hernia surgery. I try to prevent hernias by doing as little as possible. I read my book for awhile, but grew tired so I took a little nap.  Big mistake!  For the next two days my upper back was in spasms from sleeping in the chair. The doctor arrived in the waiting room about two and 1/2 hours later to inform me Rob was fine. Great, because his list for summer house repairs  isn't even half complete. I knew Rob was awake when I heard him yelling, "Is any one home?"  I let the nurse cover this one and a few more because I knew what was in store for me the next week or so. 

Lunch With David

Mom and I traveled to Morgantown today to have lunch with David and Kayla.  First we checked out the house Mom and Dad will be residing in during the harsh winter months beside David.  David and I were in a discussion downstairs when Kayla showed up. Kayla immediately irritated David which made me happy. I honestly don't understand David.  He explained to me that the refrigerator wasn't working properly but the freezer still worked but he unplugged it so he could take the food out of the freezer. That made no sense to me but since David is Mom's favorite and she was sitting there in the kitchen.  I kept my mouth shut.  Kayla on the other hand, opened the freezer door which allowed all the self contained odors of the heated up freezer to penetrate the house. David began to yell at Kayla. Kayla yelled at David. Kayle asked David why he unplugged the refrigerator.  Bingo I thought. Kayla and I walked out on the deck. Kayla preceded to tell me she had thought about teaching at the same school as David but she didn't think she could share the same school with him everyday.  I asked her how should would like to share the same womb and bedroom until we turned six. I think I have suppressed memories of trying to suffocate David but I'm not sure.  Maybe it will come out in therapy someday.  On to Bob Evans for lunch. I let David drive my car because I didn't want to listen to how much better he can drive than me.  So I put Mom up front with her favorite child and Kayla and I set in the back with our designer purses and sunglasses and pretended David was our chauffeur.  Kayla and I got Mom inside and David joined us. We had a nice lunch.  David ordered double mashed potatoes. I had a grilled cheese. Mom had fish. Kayla Chicken Parmesan. David left the table frequently to visit other guests eating. This bothered Kayla but I was just glad to get a break from David. Kayla felt sorry for the people David kept visiting.   Lunch over it was back to David's house. David has a dog named Owen.  Owen and David both need therapy. One main reason I stopped back at David's was to use the bathroom. David wouldn't let me use the bathroom until he gave me a lecture about how to flush the toilet. I would of just used the other bathroom but Zoey was taking a shower.  Once in the bathroom, I was confronted with a sign (written by the toilet) that said this toilet does not accept poop.  I'm totally serious. What is with that?  I don't know if it is just that toilet, all of David's toilets and I really didn't want to know. Which gets back to David and his dog, Owen, needing therapy.  Owen is afraid of everything, a bath, being brushed, the air, etc. He also kind of looks like David.  I suggested to David owner, pet therapy.  Kayla liked the idea.  Zoey finally made it out into the living room and we discussed our up coming surfing lessons, which David is jealous of because he is  not invited. Spiker kept calling David about golf clubs, so Kayla, Zoey and I discussed purses and the beach.  Owen kept jumping all over everyone and Rosie the other dog was equally annoyed. Nikki and Zoey have beautiful cats that look at David and Owen like they belong in a mental institution. Needless to say when Mom and I got back to Rowlesburg an hour or so later, I dropped Mom off and retreated to my bedroom with a bag of M&M's, a diet Cherry Pepsi, a Xanax and Midnight. Three hours later. Life is Good, again.

Felton Hill Road

Dad and I went to check out the new Felton Hill Road Sign in Etam today, just outside of Rowlesburg. The Felton Hill Road sign hasn't always been there. It is one of the new rural road signs to go up in Preston County over the last couple of years. Felton Hill Road is a very narrow, steep, mountain road that leads up to the old Felton farm place.  The first inhabitants of the Felton farm were Daniel Felton and Mary C. Lantz-Felton. They were my Dad's great grandparents and my great-great grandparents. My Dad's grandparents and my great grandparents  lived on the same farm. My great grandfather's name was Charles Mortimer Bishop Felton and my great grandmother's name was Melvina- Loughry Felton. My Dad's parents or my grandparents were Junior Daniel Felton and Ova Mary Goff- Felton. Anyway, that is how you end up related to everyone in Preston County if you stay around in the same place for a couple of hundred years like the Felton's have in the Etam/Rowlesburg area. That is why my brothers and I have all married people from out of the area or even the state.  We couldn't find anyone we weren't related to in the immediate area. Rob was really happy about this fact. A four-wheel drive is recommended for this rough, steep country road and country road driving ability. I had to pull to the side of the round one time and some one pulled over for me. The foundation to my great grandparents house is still about 3/4 of the way up the mountain. The view at the  top of Felton's Hill at Mount Sarah Methodist Church is worth the drive.  It is the photo for the definition "God's Country."  The cemetery at Mount Sarah is where my cousin Libby is buried. I'm going to do a photo journal blog of this area soon but today was just for driving and looking.

Things I've learned at Mom and Dad's This Week

These are the things I've learned at Mom and Dad's this week.  First, it is good if we are all on our meds.  Two, as you age you revert to behavior that very much resembles the same behavior you had around nine or ten. My past years of teaching elementary education are coming in handy.  I learned this week that Mom and Dad don't share very well with each other, especially food.  I learned this week to write their names of their individual meals and to divide things into fair equal servings.  Mom used to count out our family bag of M&M's into four cups for each child, and my Grandma Ova would let one kid divide and the other choose first. Then there is Rob.  I returned home from Mom and Dad's house the other day and Rob had gotten us a little meat and cheese platter to SHARE. I had a couple of pieces. An hour or so later, Rob asked for the cheese tray.  I did a couple of chores and thought I would have a piece or two of cheese. Rob had taken a bite out of every piece.  I couldn't believe it. I do not see Rob and I aging well together. I'm thinking he should just always work.  Anyway, I've also learned that if the channels aren't in a constant flipping mode that Dad is asleep, which is my chance to watch HGTV.  Senior citizens meals coming at 11:30.  The Sharpie comes out at 11:31 to label the meals with names. I have to pick out Dad's clothes if we go out just like I do Rob's and Justin's.  Actually, Cassie picks out Justin's clothes for social functions, so I get a little break there. I have to talk really loud to Mom and Dad.  It is about the same volume I use on the playground during recess duty during Buckwheat Week.  I'm not going to miss that. I'm getting really good at filling up those multiple day, week long pill containers and using a pill splitter. I've also learned to teach 83 year old people about facebook.  I think I know how Mark Graham feels teaching the middle age staff computer skills at Kingwood Elementary. Dad watches lots of stupid TV shows and he won't go outside and play. Mom still likes telling me what to do and I still don't listen. The basement is still a neat place to explore. My brothers still annoy me. Really much hasn't changed in 50 years except I don't share my bags of M&M's.

Three Generation Dinner

I am sharing Justin's post tonight on my blog because I'm tired but this will give everyone an idea of our Three Generation Dinners.  Justin cooked last night. I cooked tonight, well Rob actually helped some. Enjoy Justin's blog with pics.

Foggy Mountain Meanderings - Stuffed Zucchini
 
This idea started while I was still at the beach, I was reading an issue of Grit magazine when I came an article on what to do when you have to many or to big of zucchini. The one that stood out the most was the Stuffed Zucchini. After returning home and seeing I had quite a few large zucchini this recipe was a no-brainer! It turned out better than I had expected with the zucchini being very tender and the stuffing had prefect favoring to match the it.

To continue reading and get the recipe click here.

My New Job

Started my new job yesterday taking care of Mom and Dad, so far so good. Yesterday was laundry, lunch, dinner and grocery shopping.  Today pretty much the same but also prescriptions.  So, I've decided to use a few of Mom and Dad's lines that they used on us, on them today.  So I told Dad that he was watching too much TV and that I was going to turn it off and he needed to go outside and play. Mom and Dad and I basically hung out on the porch together. Then it was their lunch time. I cleaned up after them, did a few dishes.  Then it was off to Kingwood for drugs and grocery shopping.  It is kind of strange going to Kingwood to get drugs for Mom and Dad.  I really couldn't have imagined that 30 some years ago. Back home to do Dad's laundry and to deliver their groceries.  I got Dad a candy bar and told him he didn't have to eat it all at one time.  Mom and Dad like to nap and I do too so this may actually be fun during nap time. I've decided to pick out Dad's clothes because I informed him if he is going to hang with me, he has to look cool. We are going up to Cool Springs at 8:30 Friday morning if anyone wants to hang out with us. I'm going to start including photos of our  our adventures.  I introduced Mom and Dad to my blog today. They don't hear or see well but I think they were impressed.  David and I could have really used that not hearing and seeing thing when we were teenagers. I'm thinking of trying to convince Mom and Dad that I was an only child.  Dad and I are watching TV right now. Well I'm watching TV and Dad is falling asleep. More tomorrow.

The Trip Home

I always know that our trip home from Florida will resemble the Griswald Family Vacation but I eventually have to come home. This trip home was up to par of the one when I was dying from bronchitis in January. First, we had to medicate Midnight, get him in his pet carrier and into the car.  Next, we picked up Mary because she wanted to ride home with us. This will probably be the last time she asked to ride home with us.  So we are all in the car and all seems fine until Mary says "Does Midnight's medication give him gas?" OK, Midnight's gas was  survivable until the AC broke in Georgia. At this point, I medicated myself.  Mary suggested that we call Cassie and Justin so they could use their phones to find someplace that could work on the AC. Cassie gave us a place and directions so we took the exit. This plan would have worked but Rob forget to check the mileage so we couldn't find the place. At that point I suggested that we turn around and go to Walmart but before we could get to Walmart we found a Firestone Auto Total Care Clinic.  Rob walked in and they said an hour and 1/2, maybe more. It was 100 plus degrees in the shade and Midnight was still farting so inside we go. One cat in carrier, my purse full of my prescription drugs, Mary, her purse, our books, and phones, inside we are greeted by a waiting room which consisted of a rapper, a retired jerk reading a book. a nice oriental gentleman with bad knees, an everyday guy and some senior citizen form Connecticut that liked to gamble. Only the gentleman with bad knees offered us a seat so Mary and I stood. The only plus was there was a Wendy's next door so we took turns going there and seating in the AC and eating until the car was done. I think the mechanics felt sorry for the folks from WV with the farting cat so they got us out of there in less than hour.  Back on the rode, our first call was from Justin, who loves to spread the Christmas cheer in July with "We are going 5 miles per hour in South Carolina in a traffic jam." "GREAT!!!!!"  At least we had snacks. South Carolina and on to the rain storms in North Carolina. When it is 100 degrees you can't leave the cat in the car so we take turns going to the bathroom. Rob's first gas/ bathroom stop the restrooms had no toilet paper.  Thank God Mary and saved a napkin from Wendy's.  She split it with me. Rob's further choices were not better. Somewhere around Virginia we stopped for food and the only place clean enough to even think about getting food was McDonald's. I got a fish sandwich. 17 and 1/2 hours later we dumped Mary at the Goshen Road exit. We didn't just leave her.  Brad was there to pick her up. Onward home to Preston County and a flooded bathroom and laundry room. All I can say is Midnight has finally quit farting.