I’m Three Reader’s Digests Behind

Dear Lil’ Sis and the Honorable Admiral,

I slept all night, so I’m getting better, no pain in the day time. Took shower, and put on clean clothes. I keep two bars of Dove soap (unwrapped) in my underwear drawer. It makes my underwear smell so nice. I read this in the paper. And a Glade thing in the bathroom. I’m quite extravagant, but it makes me feel good.

You write about putting on cassettes – Welk, etc. I don’t know what happened, but I don’t care for Welk on tv now. It’s too old – I have quite a few classical cassettes – I love that tape of orchestra old world music. Only problem is you have to stop and turn them over. They don’t play very long, a CD is lots better, but I don’t have a CD player. Well, I finished another quilt and that makes two – so I’m going to read for a couple days. I’m three Reader’s Digests behind. Jacob has written two articles in the paper now. I sure hope he can keep this job. I think he is pretty up tight.

Friday

We talked on the phone.

Saturday

Didn’t know what I was going to do today. Big mistake! I did nothing all day. Could have done laundry, could have made a lemon pie – but didn’t. I wasted a whole day doing nothing. I can see why Leroy slept a lot – he was bored, nothing to do. I dropped off a couple times, because I wasn’t doing anything. I made pork steak for dinner, dumplings, and gravy out of a package (no good). I fried the pork steak fast on high heat. I just let it get a little brown on each side. It was tender – good, because I didn’t overcook it. Then I went to bingo – didn't win anything. Give a lot of quarters away. I was late – did my dishes first. But I had coffee there – had other goodies, but I just had dinner. Then I came back and did nothing again! Watched tv, even some of Lawrence Welk – Jimmy and girl sang “Only Make Believe,” I think they are way too mushy. So then I watched Doc Martin and two more shows on Public TV. I also watched the snowstorm in the east. My what a wasted day. I think when we went to Branson once – we might have gone to the Lawrence Welk show – but I don’t think he was there. Maybe he died already.

Well, I have to get up early tomorrow to catch my ride to church.

Sunday

Came home from church, was 12:45 so had chicken sandwich and bread and butter pickles. They are good. Ate remaining pumpkin bar and went to Bible study here. We have one woman here that always talks about her experiences and she is turning me off. We didn’t get to our Bible study at all. I don’t care to go if she don’t shut up! She’s always trying to explain something to me – the Bible study leader should do that. Well, came back and read the paper. Watched Columbo and went to bed.

Monday

My night was full of dreams again. I can’t understand why I’m dreaming the past – Mom and Pa, you. So far Will has not been in my dreams. I think I’ll do some laundry. I have a crack in my thumb again. It’s sore. So I’m wearing a rubber glove to keep it out of the water. It’s snowing today, so our Bible study is canceled. Pastor coming in from the country will find that is drifting. Windy today. She won’t come. I finally got a battery for my flashlight. I told Luke about 10 times to get one as I didn’t know what to ask for – but I described the flashlight to the clerk and he decided what it takes. Now I laid the flashlight in the chair so he can see it and insert the battery. I can’t get it apart, also I have a bottle of juice I can’t get open. Ate dinner of leftovers. Not very good. Took a short nap. Have lot of reading to do now. Stuff from church. I got your letter. Loved it. I like hearing about the cat. I like cats. I think for you it’s like having an extra companion. I am very skeptical about Will’s salt issues. Ask the doctor what is bringing this on? Why? What is causing this? And I’m not supposed to have salt. I use “no salt,” but I wonder if it isn’t some kind of salt?

Luke called and asked if I wanted to go to a concert? It’s called “California Dreaming” sounds good. I’m glad they are coming in because I need milk, they can pick it up. I can stay home which I really love – I hope till Friday, so I can have three days home. No Bible study for us today – snowed. I think I wrote that before. A small head of cabbage lasts me a long time. I think I’ll cook some and then put cream and sugar on, vinegar. Isn’t that what Mom made? And it’s hot?

I locked my keys in the car once – I put my purse in the car and shut the door, the doors were locked. So dumb. I always want to be sure I have the keys in my hands or my pocket. Anyway it took about two hours before done. I can’t remember how the AAA got in. I guess I take AAA insurance for stuff like that. I had them jump start the car once – battery was shot. Do you have life insurance on yourself? I have one that should take care of my funeral. I can’t remember if Pa had life insurance – I'm sure he did. I just don’t remember any of the details. Where were you? Wyoming?

I put this coupon in your letter. I don’t go to Walmart but this is the best toilet paper there is and you can only get it at Walmart. Well I’m going to read the paper now. It’s almost 5 o’clock. If I eat Trent’ smoked fish for supper, I’ll smell like fish the rest of the night.

Tuesday

Here it is 9:45 and I’m already shot. A half hour sit down will take care of that though. I wanted to clean up my odds and ends of apples – bake one pie. Well, when the apples were unthawed, I lost interest, but had to make that pie. Well I did, so it’s in the oven now. I’ll have to share it with someone – not enough for Lukes, and too much for me. I bought a bar-b-que chicken for $5.99 last week. I could make 3-4 meals out of it. But actually I could have bought 1 large roasting chicken for same price, and had more. This BBQ chicken is so young, it hardly has a chicken taste. I won’t do that again. Went to the concert last night. It was so-so. They sang old songs and some new ones, but they put a twist on them – you know – modern singing now. But it was nice to go out for me. Luke’s Jon got a job in Oklahoma in a bank. I hope he will do ok with it. That’s where he went to college and still has friends there. Now days you can see each other on the iPad anytime. You will have to write me and tell me what town Dennis lives near. Trent will be there somewhere.

Thinking back – that manufacturing plant is still on our old place. It must be doing pretty good yet – how old is it? Were you involved in any of Elmer’s projects? Or did he do this by himself? I can’t remember when Pa sold his cows? Then tore down the barn? Did Pa have a deal with Elmer? Is that when Pa gave you the place? I don’t know why I never knew anything? I remember when we got married – we had beer in the garage (car shed) so I was married then. Elmer made a dance floor – we must have had an accordion? I guess I remember more about Grandpa and Grandma then I do at home. I was very impressed with the chicken pen they had. And going down the basement with that trap door.

Pie is done. Oven is still hot. Should I bake something else? No. I wanted to clean out my magazine rack and catch up on some reading.

Do you have nice fingernails? I don’t take care of mine. Today is the first time in months I filed them. On the farm I never did nothing with them. I thought I didn’t have time for stuff like that. I know when I pay my beautician she shakes her head when she sees them.

Love you,

Big Sis.