Homemade Saddle Oxfords

This Friday we're going to a Fifties party. I've been working on my outfit. I needed some shoes, some saddle oxfords, like we used to wear. BUT, I didn't want to pay big bucks to buy some. (I know, I know. I could probably have found some on E-bay. Just didn't want to go there.) So I did the next best thing.

I bought a pair of cheap white tennis shoes and some black duct tape, and Voilá! Saddle Oxfords to wear.

Don't look too closely. Hopefully my feet will be moving anytime someone glances at my feet and they'll think they're real.

Too fun!
MB

Remembering My Friend, Pat

Friday, January 29, 2010, my friend Pat Walker traded her earth-suit for her heaven-suit.

I first met Pat and Hershel Walker when Paul accepted the pastorate at Fairway Baptist in Wichita Falls in 1968. They immediately became close friends and we ate a lot of meals at their house. We also enjoyed water skiing with them and staying in their lake cabin.

Not long after we moved to Wichita Falls, Pat had cancer surgery. While waiting together, Paul and Hershel discovered they had a common relative, Aunt Janie in Burkburnett. Isn't that amazing? And again shows what a small world it is. After that, we all claimed that we were relatives.

In 1969 when the first man walked on the moon, we were at Pat and Hershel's, watching it on their TV.

When our fourth child, Brett, was born in 1971, Pat and Hershel were keeping the older three children and they were the first ones we called to tell of Brett's birth.

Pat was very pretty and always kept herself looking great. She could fix hair wonderfully. While I was the pastor's wife and the piano player at Fairway, I would go out to Pat's house on Saturday and she would fix my hair. This was back when we had those beehive hairdos. Pat would fix my hair and she would work in a hairpiece that was so attractive. I felt very good sitting in front of the congregation with my Pat-hairdo. She was so gracious to do that.

Hershel and Pat were also very generous with their possessions. They had a cabin on Lake Arrowhead. For years, we had a week-long camp at their cabin for our women friends. We still talk and laugh about those times together and the funny things that happened. They also let our family use their cabin and boat any time we wanted to. Very generous.

In recent days and years, Pat began to have medical problems. Through it all she kept a good attitude. Near the end when Pat went to Hospice, her long list of friends took turns staying with her. It was a real testimony to Pat's life that she had so many friends who wanted to help.

I will miss Pat Walker! She is and was an important part of our lives over the years.
Now, I will just look forward to being with her again.
MB

Remembering

Virginia Pearl Salyer Cherry

This is a picture of my Mom around the time of her marriage to my Dad. Today is the day, seventy-three years ago, that they married in TX. One of the gifts I have received over the years from my Mom is a book entitled Grandmother Remembers. She actually completed one of these books for each of her children so they could share with their children, her grandchildren. In this book is a page where she answers questions about her wedding. I scanned it and am posting it here. Hope you can read it. If you can't and want to, perhaps you can click on the image and it enlarges on your screen. Pretty interesting, I think.



I sent Mom a card celebrating today and she called and said she had actually forgotten that Jan 27 is the day she got married.

I think it's good to remember, and since I'm remembering, I thought I would share.
MB

Happy New Year 2010

January 1 of any year is always a good day for me. It seems to be a day of new beginnings and new hope.

Naturally, I reminisce of things that have happened in the past year.

This last year I've had some great events in my life:
• The birth of the first twins in our family, our great grandsons
• Celebrated our 50th anniversary on May 28
• Paul had two successful surgeries, knee and hand
• A few personal change-points, new understanding and acceptance
• My job lasted through the year
• My Mom celebrated her 92nd birthday

There were also some sad events this last year:
• My friend and able assistant died in Feb at age 44
• Employees I supervised went from 16 to 2, lay-offs
• Death claimed several friends, a board member, and relatives

When making lists of good and bad events, I always like to have more good than bad, so I'll quit listing now.

I'm looking forward to the year 2010. I'm full of hope and excitement at the possibilities ahead. I'm reminded of the verse, "His mercies are new every morning."

I realize bad things and bad events will probably happen and be very sad and disappointing. I do have the confidence that my God, who supplies all my needs, loves me and will as He promised in Hebrews never leave me or forsake me.

What more could a human being ask for or want?

Happy New Year to you and yours.
May it be all you hope for and desire.
MB

My Mom at 92

November 30, 1917, was the date of my Mom's birth. Yesterday she turned 92. Doesn't she look great? Amazing!
She still goes to art class every Thursday and spends the day at Hobby Lobby getting art lessons and painting. She attends church almost every Sunday, and is active in the Single Sisters group in her church.


Eleven of us gathered at Charleston's in Edmond to celebrate with Mom. Four siblings and mates couldn't make it, but we still had a good crowd. (Benefits of having a large family...)


Mother ordered coffee (now this is black coffee at 5 pm in the afternoon. Doesn't seem to keep her awake at night. Amazing!) She also ordered the grilled pork chops and had beans and slaw as sides. I'm her daughter and eating that and drinking coffee would give me a terrible stomach ache. She must have a stomach of steel.


This is what Paul and I ordered for the three of us to share, bread pudding. Actually, almost everyone at the table, twelve of us, had at least a bite. Some commented that didn't look like any bread pudding we'd ever seen. It was very good.

After we ordered and while we waited for our food, we sang Happy Birthday and presented Mom with her gifts. I got her a very nice OU shirt. She's complimented mine every time I wear it. She said she would wear it every Thursday to art class. Freddie got her a radio for the kitchen window. The clock is an atomic clock so it will always tell the right time. She's been hinting. Several of the others gave Mom 12 checks or bills of $10 each. This is tradition. That pays for her art classes for the entire year. Mom took her time and read every card (when she stumbled, I helped) and enjoyed every one.

Some of Rachel's family came and brought the cute one-year-old boys. They and their parents added the much needed youth factor to our gathering.

The whole evening, which ended early, was just exceptional. We have a great family who loves to honor their matriarch. Each year we are so grateful that we've had another year with our Mom. Hopefully we'll have many more.
Mary B.

Thanksgiving 2009

Every year at Thanksgiving my family of origin gets together. I am one of eleven children and most of us married and had families of our own. One sibling has died, but there are ten of us left, and my Mom will be 92 on Monday, November 30. Here we are posing for a picture with Mom. You wouldn't believe how many pictures and how much trouble we went to so we could have one good picture. Fun and challenging.

It's always quite a gathering. This year we had about 125, that's as close a count as we could get with everyone moving around and without having a sign-in list, but it's a pretty close count.

Mother starts the celebration by saying a few words and telling all the additions we've had since last Thanksgiving, births and weddings. That talk sometimes gets pretty long, and then of course someone is always forgotten. It just can't be helped with such a large family. Mother played a guessing game having everyone guess how many are now in the family. Total is 176. That's just Mother, her children and their mates, their children and mates, and their children. Mother now has great-greats.

We had a good time, way too much food, and fun just catching up with those we hadn't seen since last year. There's a lot of physical activity going on in the gym: roller skating, dodge ball, and basketball. You put your well being in jeopardy when you traversed the gym floor to go to the restroom.

We had a special treat this year of Paul and Margaret Purifoy coming at Mother's invitation. Paul brought his guitar and sang three or four fun songs including "I Am My Own Grandpa" and "The Mississippi Squirrel." Not sure the younger generations caught it all, but we older ones had a good laugh. That was very special, the Purifoys making us a part of their Thanksgiving Day.

We end up with supper of leftovers including sandwiches and chips and hot cheese dip. Clean-up is not so bad when everyone helps. Great day. Great family. Great food. Wonderful things to enjoy and be thankful for.
MB

That's Us

My handsome feller has found a new talent. He's expressing himself through poetry. He's always had a way with words. I'm not surprised, but I am thrilled that he's cultivating this talent.

The other day we were reminiscing about the different phases we've come through in our relationship. He was thoughtful. Soon he shared this poem with me.



He's got a talent, doesn't he?

This is a very special, thoughtful writing. Because I lived through these times with him, this has much meaning for me.
I love that man!
MB