Thursday, January 15, 2015

Best and Worst of 2014 – Part Two

 
 
 
 
FIRST AND ONLY TIME – JULY
Travis and “Junior” refinished the original (1932) hardwood floors. They sanded 1/16th an inch down, filled in the cracks with “mud,” applied a Golden Oak stain. They also replaced some long-rotted boards. Since there is only one door into the back part of the house—and they were working in that room—I’d had to figure out a way to access the bath- and bedrooms. I wrote about it earlier: climb thru the back bedroom (off the back porch) window.
FIRST AND ONLY TIME – AUGUST
Plumber LaRue saw to the moving of the appliances from the kitchen to a space on the back porch. Robert and Clayton (from Hot Springs, but hired by Mullins) pulled the linoleum from the kitchen/ breakfast room. Eddie dug out and replaced rotted wood by the dishwasher. Beige vinyl tiles laid. Appliances moved back inside. Electrician called because of a (what looked like) gnawed-on wire behind the dishwasher. He did his work, plus I hired him to replace two ceiling fans and install a motion light at a later date.
BEST USE OF PEAR CROP – SEPTEMBER
            Sent word that the pears were up for grabs since my two chest freezers were full from previous year’s harvest.s Linda and Anna Elizabeth, Jim and Versie, Gara and others answered the offer and hauled away buckets/ laundry baskets full—all for pear preserves. I still had to gather several buckets full to keep from letting them completely rot on the ground.
BEST AND WORST – OCTOBER
            Two Bests: One: Son Gordon from Florida home for high school class reunion. Two: BFF Dot and I spent the last week in Eureka Springs at the Writers Colony at Dairy Hollow.
            Worst: Poet and long-time friend Lew Taylor (Stillwater OK) died. I hadn’t seen him since April 2012 at Lucidity. God rest his soul.
MOST TIRING NOVEMBER DAY:
Tuesday (4th): At the local election site from 7:00 a.m. till 8:00 p.m. A constant flow of voters until a little after 11:00 when it tapered off.
MOST LUCRATIVE NOVEMBER DAY:
Saturday (15th): Sold eight books (“A Journey of Choice’) and several pieces of satin glass at the Salem UMC bazaar.
THE SECOND BEST DECEMBER EVENT:
           I hugged MISS HAITI, aka Hermani Pierre. She was the fiancée of one of (brother) Bill’s colleagues, Greg. They were invited by the host (Bill) to drop in and “meet the family at the Couch gathering.” Hermani, a gorgeous, Dolly Parton-esque Haitian, turned 29 on Christmas, so she was regaled with “Happy Birthday” by 20 or so attendees. 
THE VERY BEST DECEMBER EVENT:
          Youngest daughter and her long-time companion married. My directions set by the bride were: 1. Don’t wear black. (I wore winter white.) 2. Provide taxi service for the older friends who couldn’t/ wouldn’t drive to the Hot Springs’ ANrlington. (Linda and Bettye—Cordell forgot). The bride was beautiful and ecstatic, as were her family and friends. Many a tear flowed—tears of gratitude and love.
          Now, on to 2015. May it also contain many BESTs and very few WORSTs.          PL

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