July 8-15, 2006

The sun finally came out for a few days and everyone had a chance to evaluate the flood damage done last week. It was horrendous! Everywhere we went there were roads, bridges and buildings and cornfields washed out. There was mud everywhere and, even a week later, the water is still running where was the least resistance. My neighbors on the corner of Jones Crossing, who had just done extensive remodeling, are still pumping water out of the cellar. The foot and a half of water in my cellar is down about a foot and I was able to get a fan in place help dry it out, but it will take a while. I am concerned about the furnace, but until I am able to get own there I will not know. Washed off with the hose. Although the ground is still saturated and there are pools of water still remaining, I believe I will get through this with the help of GOD. I still can’t get to the backfield bordering the creek. I am almost afraid to venture there. Joe and I were able to get the mowers out of the mud filled out buildings and rinsed of with the hose. Yes, the well pump is operating!

One good thing that happened this week was a visit from Joe’s good friend and hunting partner, Dr. Neil Haynes of South Kortright. He has been very ill and had serious surgery at Bassett to give new life to his small one kidney. We could not visit him as he was in Intensive Care, but his wife, Betsy, was keeping us informed. He came through with flying colors, and after a few days in intensive care, he was able to go home. We had been soo concerned and Joe’s face lit up when Neil got out of the car. He stopped by for a short visit on the way to his checkups at Bassett. Although he is very pale and weak, he is doing well. He also told us he quit smoking! Praise the LORD!

We had been talking about calling the Edwards on 205 to see they would help us get the camper furnace and fridge working and who showed up on the doorstep, but them. We had a great visit and they gave us some pointers. We are anxious to take her for an outing.

Doug Finger, Joe’s good buddy, stopped by too with news that a giant 75 foot Oak tree had been washed out at Lakewood Cemetery roadside. His boss said if he wanted it he would have to get it out yesterday! Soo Sunday afternoon we all went, bringing chainsaws, axes, wedges etc. to do the job. The size of the tree was phenomenal! I trimmed the small growth from the limbs and the guys cut the branches into handable pieces. As they were available I started to load the pickup. It took 1½ hour to fill it up. We left Doug there and headed to Joe’s and unloaded our bounty and then headed back to the site where Doug had logs cut and split. We loaded the Chevy up again. The logs were bigger and heavier and the Chevy took it. Another 1½ went by and there was still another load to take. We decided that it would have to wait till tomorrow. It had been a fruitful day and we were tired.

Joe has a passion for killing dandelions! He goes out early with his special long handled chopper and chops them out. “They could take over the world if they had a mind too”, he says with fervor.

Curt Akin sent me an email in response to one I mailed him a while ago. He has been busy. He and Jackie did get to Mt. Washington, in northern New Hampshire. It is part of the Presidential Mountain Range. He said that 20 years ago he drove up the mountain road but this time he took the tour and it was a good thing! Jackie was white and hanging on Curt very tightly. It was clear till they got to the top, then the clouds swooped in and the rain started. They had a great time.

Natalie has had a lot of company of late. She has a date up set up so she can fit them all in and they come. She called to invite Joe and I over for dinner, as her grandson Andrew was here and he wanted to cook a special dinner for Natalie’s friends.

When we arrived, Bob and Ruth Covert and Bob’s sister, Jean; Claire Kepner, and Pat and Judy McBrearty were on the front porch. Natalie, Andy and girlfriend, Valerie, were working hard on dinner. Soon Andy opened the door and announced that dinner was being served on the back deck. Andy is a young man now. The last I saw him he was a young teen.

On the way home, the sky was filled with flashing lightning and drizzles on the windshield. Would it rain we thought? By the time we got back to the house, it was dark and the Fire Flies were lighting up the night and the peepers were peeping. Then we saw fire works in the sky. . It was a neighbor’s belated Fourth of July party. . .

Bob Hope on his family’s early poverty: Four of us slept in the one bed. When it got cold, my mother threw on another brother. . . “

Thought for the Week: If you can’t make waves, make ripples.