Why don’t I feel old? I use a walker to get around. When family take me anywhere it’s in my wheelchair. I can’t do many things that I did when I was younger. But if I don’t look in a mirror I even think I look young! Maybe that is natures way of keeping us old folks happy! Go away mirrors!!!!!!!

We are going to celebrate my 94TH birthday next weekend but I’ve received several delightful birthday cards and I’d like to show you some of them so here goes………

Flowers and card from my beautiful daughter Pamela and her husband Tracy Drake who I now live with in their home in Deer Creek community Sarasota Florida. I’m very lucky!!!

My faithful always there for me niece Peg Eastman

My wonderful Venice Bird Bay friends Tom and Debbie Winters who spend summers in their Tomahawk Wisconsin home on the lake..

My nephew Larry Gardner and his looks like a movie star wife Pat

My nephew Steve Gardner and his lovely wife Karen

From my beautiful granddaughter Sarah Drake. So thoughtful and sweet of her

Candy covered strawberries from my dear friend in Ohio Lisa Ellyson. I already ate one YUM!YUM!

This card is from my very special niece Jean Kraus and her husband Jim

And…what a lovely surprise! A two page letter included from my niece Jean Patrick Kraus! And here is a paragraph included in that letter……she wrote

I think you have led the most interesting life of anyone I know and you have done it all by yourself. Very gutsy lady!

Thank you Jean,

YOU JUST MADE MY DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FRF️

Halloween in Salem Ohio was very special for me. Tracy would purchase 300 dollar size candy bars of various kind. I always went to their home to help him greet all the many children and some adults who came from towns around to be sure they hit Quaker Lane where great treats were given out each year.

Tracy’s 300 candy bars were gone before the 2 hours were up and he had to close the inner doors and turn out the lights, so next year he bought 400 bars and still ran out. More people showed up each year so had got 500 candy bars and didn’t run out that time.

Quaker Lane ends in a cul-de-sac where the towns multi-millionaire (actually he is worth over half a Billion) lived and was a home they all wanted to be sure they didn’t miss going to that door!

Tracy purchased the large candy bars because there was no way he was about to be put done by that wealthy man. Turned out that Tracy outdid the rich man. We could hear children coming in the yard saying “This is where you get the BIG BARS!!!!!!!

You want to see. Some family trick or treaters.

Little Evin Drake with her Daddy at the door

Evin, Tracy, Sarah and a friend Sarah Rupert they were greeters at Tracy’s  home on Quaker Lane in Salem Ohio

Matt Bender’s little niece Sofie was brought by her gramma Renee Bender, to trick or treating. Evin Is with her at the door to give her a treat in her pumpkin carrier, PRECIOUS!!!!

Pamela and Tracy Drake ready to go to a Halloween party in Deer Creek where we live.

We should have taken more pictures but I didn’t know then I would be doing blogs. I’m just happy I found these in my box of pictures. Hope you enjoyed!!!!!!FRF️

IN Salem Ohio where I lived in the Highland Creek condos our mail was placed at thee different locations that each included a large metal box with many peoples mail box.

When I got so crippled up I could no longer get myself to that box, the association gave me permission to have a regular black mail box placed at the corner of my garage.But low and behold this old lady got so she (me) couldn’t even get out to that mail box.

That is when this kind hearted, very special lady, would come into my garage and leave my mail on the seat of my wheelchair that I kept at my kitchen door. I just open my door to the garage and there was my mail.

I want to show you a snapshot she gave me…………

She is on the kayak in the lake

I had painted portraits of many of my family and always said “sorry I only do family” to any one who ask me to paint a portrait for them.

But for this kind hearted lady I painted that picture of her on a 16×20 canvas. Purchased a frame for it and gave it to her.

Here is my finished gift to her. When I handed her this painting which she did not know I was doing , she was so surprised and happy she cried.

She and her husband built a new home and she told me she put this painting on a wall where anyone coming in their front door would see it.

She truly is a VERY SPECIAL LADY!!!!!

FRF❤️

Would you like to see some very special cards I have received over the years? Well …here they are…. so have a look see………..

From my granddaughter little Evin Drake

My granddaughter Sarah Drake

My great granddaughter Terra daughter of my grandson Dean Wedding and his wife Patricia

My step grandson Scott Smith his wife Diana with their children his, hers and theirs. A beautiful family

My great great grandsons Max and Sean sons of Kimberley Hires granddaughter of my daughter Carole Suzanne Smith who I lost from cancer May 2nd 1998

My nephew Joe Patrick and his wife Elsa in Jackson Hole Wyoming near the grand Teton mountain range

YOU LIKE THIS ADORABLE CARD?????

FRF ️

It all started with a phone call !!!! as I was just starting to plan my flight from  Sarasota Florida to Ohio for a weeks vacation from my real estate activities my daughter Meredythe said via phone conversation “Mom would you like to have all your brothers and sisters come for a family reunion?” What a delightful idea!!! So,,,,,,,,,,She sent each of them an invitation to bring their spouse any food they would like to bring and come to her home on a Sunday while I was there.

And much to our surprise EVERYONE came. Now mind you………this was not a family where everyone liked everyone else. But it just so happened  Meredythe’s home was neutral and they could each come regardless if they liked everyone. What a clever idea Meredythe. Yeh! rah! rah! for you. Joey helped set up two long tables in their garage and we all ate in there together. It was a sight to behold.

Mary Rockhold, Bill DeWitt, Geneva DeWitt, Lesley Rockhold, Carl Rockhold

Bugs Rockhold, Herald Gardner, Fannie and Paul Hoffman

Burl Rockhold and Herald Gardner

Howard Rockhold, me, Geneva  DeWitt , Meredythe Wedding

Within a few years my Brother Bugs took over and invited everyone to come ro a restaurant in Marion and again it was a neutral place and EVERYONE CAME.

As nieces and nephews started coming Peggy Eastman then took over and it was held each summer at the Richwood retirement Center where her Mother, my sister Mabel Eastman and sister Edna DeWitt lived at that time, each in their own apartments. Again a neutral place.

After a few years faithful Peggy Eastman has our reunion in the gym at the Logan county school house where she works and that continued until it just played out its time and few people came.

Gary and Mary Patrick with Bugs in back ground and Bobbie on the side.

Bobbie’s family Karen, Nancy, Pat and Larry Gardner
Hey…..I took the above photo!

It was all started with that phone call with Meredythe those many years ago. THANK YOU Meredythe for your big hearted consideration to me and all my brothers and sisters. They all really did appreciate and enjoy all these wonderful get-togethers at all these different places starting with you and your home. THANK YOU MEREDYTHE……………….

REMEMBERING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FRF❤️