A book for Patsy

Ava's Man by Rick Bragg.  I have read several of Rick Bragg's books and I liked all I have read.  This book is about his grandfather that died a year or so before Rick was born.  His grandfather and grandmother, Ava, were born in the early 1900's in Alabama.  His grandfather lived in poverty all his life but was a hard working, hard drinking, family man.

During WWII, two sons from this family are drafted into the service.  They are sent to, I think, Ft. Polk, in Louisiana, for basic training.  In spite of having almost no money, their father drives from Alabama to Louisiana at least once a month to check on his sons.  As he explains it, he did not worry about his sons surviving the War, he worried about them surviving the peace.  He had taught them early to fight and drink hard, and he thought he might have taught them too well.

The book is Rick's attempt to know a grandfather that he never met.  At the end of the book, Rick and I both thought his grandfather was a good man.

Patsy,  I think you would enjoy this book.  I know we thought we were poor when we were growing up, but this family was really poorer than poor. You may have to go to a library a thousand miles from home to find this book and some others by Rich Bragg.

New Day,

New door.

Morning,

Glory...

About 9 this am.  First thought this was fog off the water tank on the mountain, but George said it was smoke.  He is right, but just this once.

It is creeping up on 60 degrees.  We are going to take the makeshift door down in a little and start putting in the framework for the new door.  George says it will be in by dark thirty.  Mostly I just watch.  And criticize. Maybe tonight we will have pictures with a view through the window in my door.  It will be superior to Helen's window view.

George got mad...

and knocked down the door.  Tomorrow he gets to put up a new door.

Traveling

I walked over to the cemetery and saw this.  I think she thought if she stood really still I could not see her.

We have sure had beautiful weather.  One more half day and then two days off.  Tomorrow is GO HOME EARLY DAY!!!!!!!!

The owl

Says, "Who, who?"

Alice, Sydney, Pam, Mary Jane and Sharon were all Betty's age. Vickie Braddy was my age.  I think Alice lived next door to the Braddy's and Sydney lived a few blocks away.  I have never heard of Vicky Bradshaw.

Freedom

Glorious Weekend

We tried out our Halloween costumes.  Hannah is a princess.  This is a party dress I found at Sandra Powell's shop.  The tights cost the same as the dress.  She loves it and did not want to take it off but she did...

Robert is a Transformer.  He would not take it off.  He wore it for hours and got mad when I made him take it off and put on his 'night-night clothes', as Hannah says...

This is the battery powered tractor Robert got for his birthday.  They love it.  We are going to see Uncle Clayton.

And going back to Grandma's house.

Then we went to McDonald's, ate and played.

Went to the park, played and played.  Doesn't he look like a big boy?

And played.

And played.

Then we went by Erin's and delivered Betty's books so we could be a cheapskate and not have to pay to mail them back.  Erin says she is going down today and will take them.  At the corner on 65 by Erin's house was a garage sale.  I got this table set for the deck.  The table top is warped, but I do not need the table.  I needed 2 more outdoor tall stools for the deck.  These are heavy cast iron and they fold up.  I paid $27 for all.  The kids like having their own chairs.

And, the weather is sooooo beautiful.  Windows are ALL in and walls back up.  This week, I have to paint the new walls around the new windows.  Next, on to a new door and new countertops.