Thanksgivings

Once again Thanksgiving is upon us. A time for family get-togethers, good eats, great times, and the sharing of love. It is my sincere wish that all of you have a wonderful, blessed day. May you know the love that families share. And may we be truly thankful for the many blessings that are afforded us.  A loving family, God’s love, health, and so many others. I feel I am truly blessed.

As I think back over the years, there have been many wonderful memories of Thanksgivings.  Each Thanksgiving in itself has been unique, and all are dear to my heart. For example I will always cherish the memory of bursting a hose on the 66 Charger and having to use one of the heater hoses to repair it.  Lance and Laura were able to keep warm because we carried quilts and pillows in the car, but ole Dad felt like a popsickle by the time we got back home.

Another occassion that will also be a special memory, is what you could call the “Ice Chest Thanksgiving”.  After we bought the house here in Burkett, we would come here for the holidays. The first Thanksgiving we celebrated in the house, we did out of an ice chest.  The best part of that Thanksgiving, was that our daughter Laura showed up for a surprise visit.

Those are just two of the many Thanksgivings we have shared as family. Christy , Lance, Laura, Stacie, Susan and I. So many wonderful memories.  Thank the Good Lord for family love.

I wish you not only a wonderful Thanksgiving, but a loving and safe one.

Have a Blessed day.

Ernie

How do you pronounce Bayou?

So, how do YOU pronounce B-a-y-o-u? I pronounce it BY-YOU. Here in Burkett, I am in the minority.  Individuals here try to tell me I’m pronouncing it incorrectly.  They claim that it is pronounced BY-OH. As a matter of fact I have only discovered one other person here who calls it BY-YOU. Susan also pronounced it BY-YOU, and it sometimes infuriated her to hear it pronounced BIO.

I looked it up in the dictionary and the preferred way is BY-YOU., but it is also accepted as BIO.  When we have the argument about the pronunciation, I always ask “How do pronounce YOU?”  Silence!  Everyone agrees that you is pronounced U., but they will not admit that it should be pronounced BY-YOU.  I asked an individual who actually grew up in New Mexico, how he said “bayou” before he came to Texas.  He said that he didn’t remember.  He calls it BIO simply because his wife( who grew up here in Burkett) says BIO. He is the one who gives me the most grief about the pronunciation.  And on top of that, he is a retired schoolteacher.

Anyway, I’d like to know how the readers of this blog pronounce BAYOU.  And speaking of the Pecan Bayou, last month April 20th, was the highest I have ever the Bayou.  We have a five feet high boundary marker and the water was a good foot above the post.  On the other side of the bridge our neighbor’s land is fairly flat and the Bayou was approximately three hundred yards across.  Tremendous amount of water.  Then last week the Bayou came down again and it was about four feet lower than last month, but it was still impressive.

Once again, I have to apologize for not posting sooner.  I have no excuses.  But, I again ask forgiveness.  Life on the Bayou does go on. I would be lying if I said that I did not miss Susan, and the love she had for this Bayou.

May you have a blessed day, month, year, life.

Ernie

Life On the Bayou still goes on

I know I haven’t posted in a good long while, and for that I apologize. I know my last post was titled “Around to it”, and I said I had planned to get around to posting more and then promptly let a lot of time pass between posts.

No excuses! I kept meaning to get on the computer and post, but never seemed to get around to it.

I am not going to do a long post this time. I just wanted to let everyone who follows this blog know that I’m doing fine, and will continue to post in the coming months.

I hope all had a safe 4th of July, Labor Day, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and a Happy New Year.

My mother passed away Jan 7th and is the Good Lord’s arms. She was 89. We will miss her, but we know that she is in a much better place, and is no longer suffering.

Bless each and every one of you. Have a blessed day.

Ernie

Around To It

“Around to it”. Just three words. How many of us have projects that are waiting for us to get “around to it”.  Most of the things that are waiting for us to get around to it have good intentions. Such as, “I’m going to be a better listener”, or “I’m going to treat others as I would like to be treated”.

It seems our good intentions often run into a snag.  It may be time, it may be opportunity, or it may just be an unwillingness to take that step to get “around to it”.

The preceding paragraphs are in part an excerpt is from a dissertation I wrote for our church bulletin one Sunday.

I am certainly guilty about not getting around to things.  The blog is a prime example. Numerous times I told myself that I needed to post to the blog, but did not get around to it.  Then I was surprised to see how much time had passed since the last posting.  I apologize for not posting in such a long time. No excuses, just didn’t get “around to it”.

Life on the bayou is running smoothly. My Mom is in a skilled nursing unit, going through physical therapy, and I am making quite a few trips between here and Snyder (130 miles one way). She is doing great and we hope that she will be able to get back to her apartment soon. I’ve set up a medical alert pendant for her, which will make me feel better about her being back in the apartment.

We have had a wet spring here, and it has helped the drought conditions around here. We haven’t had as much of the severe weather as some of the country.  We have had some hail, and a tornado touched down about a mile north of us. My neighbor and I watched as the funnel cloud traveled over our houses. We were about 15 feet from a cellar, but did we get in the cellar? No. Why? Because, common sense failed us at the time. Not the most intelligent thing I’ve done, to say the least.

I plan to post more often and not fall into the around to it mode. Things are going very well in life, and I plan to enjoy the beauty of life. God bless.

Ernie

Weather on the Bayou

is damp and cold like the weather across the central and eastern part of Texas. I know that it is nothing like what the Northeastern part of the country is or has been going through. The temperature has been in the mid-twenties today and is supposed to be down to 20 tonight. Not too bad, considering. But couple that with the northern wind and the chill factor is in the low teens or single digits. Once again, I know that the temperatures and chill factors are worse in pretty much the rest of the country, but temps like these are not as common here as else where. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining, just stating facts.

Of course, anyone who has raised or who are raising children, know that days like this are hard on parents and children. The children get bored and want to be entertained, so in some cases they start to pick arguments with their siblings. This sometimes leads to a frustrating day for the parents. Now, there are no children in this house on the bayou, human children, I must add. Now let’s talk about the feline children. Today has been a series of opening the front door and letting cats out only to make it back to the kitchen or recliner just to have them beating down the back door to get back in. My goodness, it’s cold outside. Not only that but the ones who spend the majority of their time outside, and only come in to eat, decided today is a good day to be underfoot. Now, bored children have nothing on bored cats. What do we do, we pick arguments with pretty much every other feline in the house. They can’t all do it a one time, they have to spread it out over the entire day. Then amazingly, when it’s time to be fed, everyone’s on good behavior. These cats that we have rescued, adopted, or have been talked into caring for, are worse than kids. But, as Susan did, I love them all. Needless to say, it’s been a hectic day. But it has helped me to decide to post to the blog. I needed that.

I also have to say thanks to someone who sent a card and a kind message of sharing. It has helped get me thinking about the blog, and those who follow the postings. Today I decided to post the experience I went thru today. I plan to post soon with updates on CT scans, Burkett VFD news, and Life On The Bayou. I apologize for not posting in a while. It is my plan to do better in the future. One of these days I will learn how to post pictures also. It will probably take one of the our daughters showing me how. But sooner or later I’ll learn.

May all of you have a blessed day, month, year, life.
Ernie

Christmas on the Bayou

was quiet and low key. I spent Christmas Eve watching the Christmas tree lights and lost in memories of Christmas’ past with Susan. The holidays were definitely her most favorite time of the year. She loved the lights and the decorated Christmas tree.  Our daughter Laura  put up the outside lights the day after Thanksgiving.  I did help by holding the ladder for her. The lights look fantastic.  The tree I set up and decorated.  I could never even come close to decorating as well as Susan could, but the tree is for her.

From the first year we met and started being with each other, I gave her a butterfly of some sort every year for Christmas. I think most people knew of this fact. What is not known to all is why. The reason for the yearly gift is something that one day I will share with our children. The reason Susan and I held {and I still hold) the butterflies so dearly is one of those memories that will never fade.  This year, the 36th butterfly for Susan, I made into a Christmas ornament.  I placed it on the tree on Christmas Eve. I wanted it to be where Susan could see it as she watches over us.

Christmas Day I drove up to the DFW Metroplex to spend time with three of our four children.  I received a beautiful quilt from our daughter in Arlington. It is a quilt I will cherish forever. Stacie did a wonderful job on it. On the quilt are some things that have created the cherished memories.

Then it was over to Carrollton to have Christmas dinner with Lance , Leslie, Kathrine, Kenneth, Katey, Angela and Laura and Emylee and Sharon. Also for Christmas I received a hat that I have searching for for about ten years. Then it was back to Burkett. I did so enjoy the visits.

New Years will also be a quiet time here.  I plan to spend it in front of the fireplace and get lost in the beautiful memories of all the wonderful New Years Susan and I spent together. I would not trade them for the world.

I wish all  of you a blessed, safe, and wonderful New Year. May the coming year bring you happiness, health, and peace.  God bless you.

Ernie

34 years ago today,

Susan and I were married. We had no idea what the future held in store for us, but we were willing to face it together. Through the years, we encountered rough times along with the good. I would not trade a single moment of the times we shared, good or bad. I loved Susan before we were married, and I loved her more each day we were together, and my love will never diminish.

I thank the Good Lord for time I was allowed to spend with Susan. She was and is the best part of me. Susan’s passing has taken a lot out of me, but nothing can take away my love or the memories I have.

Today is our anniversary. There will be tears, but there will also be the beautiful memories.

I love you, Susan, and I will love you always. Thank you for all the wonderful years and beautiful memories.

Ernie

Life on the bayou

goes on. Not as smoothly and a lot more lonely. Sometimes the emptiness of the house comes crashing down and I have to leave for a while. I thank the Good Lord for family and friends that take some of the loneliness away.

Our daughter Laura comes down and spends the weekend with me as often as she can.  We try to go fishing every time she is here.  We both enjoy the sport of fishing.  We both believe in catch and release.

Son Lance, Laura and myself journeyed to Port Aransas, on Oct 16th, and went out on a charter that night.  We didn’t have a lot of luck that evening, but we did catch a few.  The following morning we took  another charter and went about 15 or so miles out and tied up to a oilrig stand pipe.  There we commenced to catch fish.  We caught quite a few sharks, some snapper and pompano.  We traveled back to home that evening, tired but happy with the catch.

Quilting: I don’t quilt, but our daughter Christy does.  She has the HQ Sixteen (Susan’s long arm quilter) there with her in Wisconsin.  Christy plans to finish the quilts that Susan had started, and to continue to quilt charity quilts, as Susan was doing.  I know that she will do an excellent job with the HQ Sixteen.  Christy had also taken part of Susan’s fabric stash to use on the quilts.  Some individuals had suggested that I sell the fabric.  I want Susan’s fabric to go to the needy in the form of donated quilts.

Our friend Wanda, who some of you are familiar with, also has taken some of the fabric to donate to quilters who are doing charity quilts.  I think that is an excellent use for the fabric.

Kitties: I will admit that in a lot of instances the cats make life interesting at times.  FraidyCat, I’m convinced has it in his mind that if he can just get into the bedroom, he will find Susan.  He would spend time snuggling with
Susan after he was fed.  The Brat Pack (Snuggles, Spooky, Shadowfire, and Lil Pup (Scamp)), will all four get into my lap while I’m sitting in the recliner. All of them, with the exception of Shadowfire spend a lot of time outside. Muckley’s Muckley and Blaze still wants to keep me all to himself. Apache’s coat has grown back, the sores are gone and she has gained some weight. The Vet’s are all amazed that she has done so well. Susan was convinced that if we continued to watch what Apache came in contact with, and keep her on healthy can food only, she would recover. Susan believed and she was right.

I do apologize for taking so long to post again. I know that Susan could say things better, and make it more interesting, but I will do my best. I thank all of you who support this blog. May the Good Lord bless all of you. He has certainly blessed me.

Ernie

If It All Fell To Pieces

The year was 1984, and I was on assignment to Kuwait. It was the first overseas trip I made while employed by Raytheon.

The mail system in Kuwait was one of the better ones in the Middle East. Susan and I exchanged letters almost on a daily basis.

There was one letter from Susan that I will never forget, for in the letter she wrote:

“You can spend all your time making money,
You can spend all your love making time,
If it all fell to pieces tomorrow,
Would you still be mine?”

I know that most people recognize the lyrics from the Eagles’ song, “Take It To The Limit”.

During that particular time in our life together, there was certainly no guarantee that career, job, finances would not all fall to pieces. But knowing that this could happen, my answer then was the same as it would be today. Would I still be hers? No question about it, Yes I would. The longer Susan and I were together, the stronger our love.

In so many relationships today, when trials and tribulations arise, the individuals seem to forget that love, true love, will always see you over the hurdles. It is heartbreaking to see relationships fall apart at the first sign of adversity.

Things were not always smooth for Susan and myself, but through love and faith, we smoothed the bumps.

The advise I would give if anyone asked for it, would be to first examine your heart, for this is where love is. Love, faith, and prayer will see you through the hard times.

Ernie

In Memory Of Susan

Susan was not only an influence to the community of Burkett, but along with her job at the Coleman Housing Authority, she was the treasurer for the Burkett Volunteer Fire Department. Needless to say, Susan not only approached the duties of treasurer with the same enthusiasm as she did life, but being an officer she was instrumental in helping organize the fund raisers and along with a couple of other ladies, worked tirelessly to ensure that events ran smoothly. Everyone in the Burkett VFD held Susan in the highest regard.

To honor Susan, The Burkett Volunteer Fire Department is dedicating the department’s newest truck to her. The truck is a 5-ton, military vehicle that is being fitted out as a brush truck. The truck will have the latest equipment, and will carry 1200 gallons of water. The 5-ton will provide the fire department with a versatile truck that can be used in smooth or rough terrain.

The truck will have “In Memory Of Susan” along with ribbons of stars and stripes and a pink one denoting our fight against cancer.

I will do my best to include a picture of the truck when it is completely fitted out. Hopefully by then I will learn how to insert pictures into the posts.

Susan will never be forgotten by those in the community of Burkett, and the members of the Burkett Volunteer Fire Department. Susan is, and will continue to loved by those who had the opportunity to know her.

Ernie