Well, let it be said that before I died, I shopped for my lovely bride on a day besides Christmas eve!! YES, kind folks... every since I have been married, I have a tradition of heading to town at 3 - 4 pm on Christmas Eve to shop for the love of my life, Ms. Ann. It is such a hoot... having done it so many years.. 32 years now, and living in the community for over 44, that most of the old stores in town know the family, or I. A favorite place to visit is Katz Dept Store, that is shutting it's doors on Dec. 31 of this year, after starting in 1889 in Stillwater, OK. Most any one who has attended OSU in Stillwater has shopped there, and Katz has raised many Stillwater families!! It sure has ours, and Ann was heart broken when she learned it was closing. But this aside, Dennis Silvers has worked there since Ann and I were married in 1972. I opened us a charge account at Katz, when Barbara worked there and the credit dept was a ledger file on a desk in the back of the store, and started making regular Christmas eve visits there, and then to other stores... so now the old merchants were really surprised to see me before Christmas eve.. yesterday!! What a hoot to go on a different day... and see the reaction of those I have known for a long time!
Then when I got back home, what to my surprise should be in my home, but my lovely daughter and son, Heather and Andrew. Ann made us some great chicken and dumpling for dinner, and it was enjoyed by all. We almost cleaned it all up! Then Andrew and Jake started playing around. Jake downloaded some games on the computer, thanks to son Jonathan's help, and Jake showed Andrew how to play them. Now he wants to play them all the time.. well, almost all the time!!
Seems as though Ann was not through shopping and at this writing, she and Jake are in town finishing up Christmas Santa shopping. But .... MINE is DONE!!!
It's been really cold here, about 6 degrees here this am, and the floor is even cold in our home... but things will warm up, as my brother in law Mike is coming down to stay with us overnight and for tomorrow's dinner with Mom Moffat at her home. It's been rumored that Santa will come here first so the kids and their kids will get together here in mid morning to check out what was left, and then we are off to rake in our goodies at "Grandma's" home!!
Jake reports the cattle are all taking in the weather ok. He had to chop ice on the ponds in all pastures yesterday. We have one small 80 acre pasture that has a big creek running through it and in all the years we have owned it, we have never had to chop ice! Then last summer, our neighbor up stream, built a big pond, and the creek is all but dried up this winter, according to Jake. Geeze... love to see the new pond, hate to chop ice. When I had the feed store, I had some old timers who came in when weather was like this, and they did not want to chop ice either, and they would buy blocks of white salt and put along the edges of their ponds. As the block of salt melted in the water, it kept the water from freezing and the cattle and deer and other livestock could always get water. Not sure how that helped the pond environment!
I have made contact with Carlyle Trabant's extended family and might have some things coming soon about him and what he did throughout his life. I know it is too late to share with Dad, but he was Dad's best friend when growing up and Dad and he had their picture taken in the "old hoopie" dad called it, before they left for Galveston, TX in the summer of 1936, about a year before Dad father died. More on this as things develop. I know my kids saw this picture on the wall in the rooms where dad was before his death, and now we can find out "the rest of the story"!
Carlyle's parents, his father George, was well thought of by both Mom and Dad, and he was also the minister that married them at Mt. Zion Church.
Looks like this has turned into a long note.. sorry for that. Will try to keep them shorter.. haha.. you all know I am kidding, right??
Received a Christmas card with a wonderful note inside from Uncle Ivan and Aunt Freda yesterday. Very wonderful to get news from them. I wish to thank them for the hand written note inside too. They have had a tough year, with the deaths of Ivan's brothers, Oscar and then John, and a nephew Leon. Plus their health has not been the best, so if you get a chance do remember them this Christmas season in your prayers, and Uncle Calvin and Aunt Agnes Siegrist need to be remembered in prayer too, he is in California undergoing a new treatment for prostate cancer. It is the latest in high tech at work.
And a wonderful Christmas card from my niece Cortney. She is so awesome. She has such a good memory! And in her life, things are changing around a bit, and her and Jeff are now seeing a lot of each other, soon to be more, I hear!! haha.. Love ya, kiddo... We wish your Mom Happy Holidays too..
Guess that is all for now. Enjoy the day, take time to smell the roses...
