Traveling by Proxy.

 Traveling by Proxy.

 

Watching my daughter travel across the map is pretty interesting. This Life 360 tells me how fast she is moving and pretty much where she is on the map. Right now, she is headed toward Little Rock, Arkansas. My cousin John and his wife Wham live in Maumelle, AR, so it’s not like we have no one in the country who she would know—well, not sure she has ever even met John Pollard, come to think of it. If she were headed to the northwest corner of Arkansas, she could see all her first cousins from her Uncle Sterling’s family. Think almost his entire family lives up there near Gentry now. None of the family lives anywhere near Traskwood, AR where our Granddad Leland Pollard grew up. Doubt if there is even a house on the old home stead since the original burned to the ground. Sterling and Mary lived there for several years—or at least for a couple of years or more. Sterling hated working in the bauxite mines, but that was about all the work there was in that area at the time. Pretty sure things have not changed that much. The entire area is rife with ticks and chiggers—and snakes. Would not want to live there. We have plenty of those things here in our part of the world.

 

Thinking it is pretty funny that families tend to live where the fathers start them out. That was true, at least, for Lewis and his daddy. Garland, Lewis’ dad, grew up in Bonita, TX, between St. Jo and Nocona. My mom was born in Nocona, but grew up mostly in Oklahoma until her parents moved to Texas near Petrolia. She met my dad at school in Petrolia, and we grew up there. Sterling left as soon as he could and joined the army. He came back to Texas—Petrolia, Henrietta, and West Texas (more or less) and raised his kids there. Can’t remember the name of the place his boys played football. Midland, maybe? That is not really West Texas, but close enough. Anyway, they have all ended up back in Arkansas where Marion’s family started out near Gentry. Granddad Kennedy and Grannie Connie lived on a chicken farm there for years. Grannie Connie’s sister, Neva Lorraine, and her husband Preacher Parker lived in a slightly eastern direction from them in another town—can’t remember its name at the moment—and raised grapes. Our cousins, the Ledbetters, had an egg farm not very far from the Parkers near Springdale—if memory serves me correctly. It has been years since those places and people have been on my mind. How strange. It is a beautiful state with some mighty fine folks, but it is not home to me by any means.

 

Have to go re-arrange some things in the pantry here in a bit. Ordered groceries from Market Street so that the lazy ol’ woman could just make things at home and stay on this old hill. Connie said that she has been doing the same thing. Just staying away from other people. Can’t imagine being this anti-social, but it can’t really hurt anything at the moment. The last time an order came from Walmart, they managed to throw in a few things that were not on my list. No charge, but it made me wonder what they were doing when they loaded up those baskets. Oh well.

 

Debbie, Patty’s friend, said that she was making chili the other day when we were down there climbing her pole and working on the camera. She said it smelled so good that she would have to go home and make some. It DID sound good. So, the order today included chili and Fritos so that a Frito-chili pie could be arranged this week. One of the best things about cooler weather is the food that just hits the spot. Now it is not watermelon or cantaloupe, but still.

It was pretty coolish this morning when we got outside. Can’t seem to stay asleep longer than five a.m., but at least the hens don’t start yelling until about seven. Good little hens! Not sure just what happens on this hill at 4:30 or there abouts, but something wakes us up! Guess griping won’t change things. At least it is not some dingbat roaring around at 2 a.m. and waking up the entire side of town.

 

Just found a flea on Sylvia. It was dead, but still. Maybe the dogs need another Wham treatment. Her shampoo works wonders for taking away doggy smell. But then, the Palmolive dish soap smells good anyway. The apple cider vinegar just keeps them fresh smelling.

 

The calendar that Michelle Malay gave me that shows different birds every day has made me more aware that some birds have the basic name of the breed—tanagers—but also the descriptive designation that tells which kind of tanager—silver-throated tanager, for instance. So far, it seems the tanagers are the most prevalent breed. But if Lewis were still around, he would be calling them sparrows! He got such a big kick out of trying to tease me about all birds being sparrows and all flowers being petunias! He knew better, but he would grin and say, “There’s a pretty petunia. Don’t you want one like that?” Silly guy. Loved him so very much.

 

Well, Jennifer has been driving for about seven hours and is near Memphis, TN. She really needs to plug her phone in and charge it, too. She hates to be told that it needs to be charged. She always tells me not to remind the boys that their phones need to be charged because they want to pretend that no one knows where they are or what they are doing. They will never know the way our lives were when we were young and no one even HAD a phone at home, much less in their pocket! Life is definitely different.

 

You all know that for centuries the folks who looked around them and said that the world they knew was going to Heck in a handbasket. Can’t say that it has YET, but danged if it doesn’t look more and more likely to get there soon. Sad ol’ world. About the only thing we can do as individuals is be as kind to others as possible under the circumstances. Our prayers may just make the difference for those who are suffering from cancers and other diseases. If nothing else, we can know—and they can know—that we care.

 

Rest well, my friends, and pray for safety for those we love. YOU are loved.