Our neighborhood was a long dirt road part 1

 Talking to my sister Doris,  this morning and we were thinking back on the families we grew up with on North County Line Rd. We lived in a very diverse group of families as our neighbors. Everyone got along and looked out after each other. 

The first house on the corner as you turn on our dirt road was the Fains, I remember them because their children names all started with J's. I thought that was pretty cool at the time. Judy Fain, Jack Fain, Janice Fain and so on. I don't know their nationality. They moved after a few years and I don't remember the name of the next family that moved in.

So the next house was the Jones! They were little people, not dwarf but very little people. They had one son, his name was Danny. ( by the way my first kiss later on). Mr Jones was about a little taller than Mrs Jones and she was about 4  1/2 ft tall , that may or may not have been with her high heels on. She always wore the cutest very high heels and nice dresses or skirts. I remember this because we picked her up for church. She didn't drive. 

The next house had three different families at different times. The first family was the Butlers, Nancy Butler was about my brother, Richie age, then there were a few brothers. When they moved, the next family I believe was the , Carson family. The house caught on fire and they moved. The next family was the Sanders. They had one daughter, Linda, she was Pam's age. 

House 4 was the Wagners right next to ours with hedges all along the property. Jack Wagner, Jackie Wagner, Janet Wagner and don't remember the other kids. I think one or two. Notice the had kids with names starting with J's too. Funny. I do remember my mom and Mrs Wagner were very close. The doors to each house with porches kind of facing one another. I remember them talking back and forth while shaking their house rugs or hanging out the laundry. When they moved away they'er was a bit of sadness in my mom. She must have missed her best fried and of course Janet Wagner and I started 1st grade together. I missed her. At that time she was my only friend. Then the Macheta family moved in. Right away I had another best friend, Sandy Macheta. Pam was best friends with Judy the younger sister. I don't remember the nationality, I just know the grandpa Macheta would sit under the tree in the front or their yard and didn't speak English much but sure like to drink. 

Then house 5 was the Pruitt's, that's us! 8 kids and mom, dad, and usually some kin folk staying with us from Missouri as they moved up for Steel Mill work one family at a time. Dad bought the house which was 1 big room and a porch on about an acre of land. He started adding on the house a little at a time. First he enclosed the porch and made into a small kitchen. We had an outdoor toilet, which I hated with a passion. I think we all did. It had two holes in the seat area to use, I guess if one person couldn't wait make room for two. lol! Daddy added an addition on to the house, room for a bathe and three bedrooms. A big hall way that had a heat stove. The only heat we had. He put the bathroom in the middle of the house then didn't like that so he changed it to between the back bedrooms. I have to say my mother was very patient. 

Happy New year 2021

 Don’t let the past year be wasted, instead, learn from all we have experienced. Then, commit to live a purposeful life in the year ahead. Don’t live the entire year without purpose, only reacting to what happens from day to day. Take time to prayerfully decide on a word or phrase for 2021 as something that will direct your approach to life for the next 12 months. Better yet, begin to ask God what your focus should be in the coming year.

Happy New year! My God bless you always!

2020 for eyesight is excellent but....the year..

 So yeah, 2020 for the year has been challenging to say the least! COVID 19 hit the world!  At first it wasn’t scary and as months went by, it was. Quarantine , people getting sick, dying and of course the masks! Lord, do I hate the masks! Toilet paper, paper towels, hand sanitizer , hand soap, was just a few of the things that were flying off the shelves, leaving them empty! Hospitals were full, doctors offices, plexiglass was being put up in front of every check out and 6ft orders for length away from anyone. Isles in stores had one way pasted on the floors! I was looking for the speed limit signs! Lol! Or the Yield sign, maybe even the isle police! I panicked in Aldi’s when I looked down and sure enough I was pushing my buggy the wrong way! 

If COVID wasn’t enough my son had to have gallbladder  surgery and liver biopsy. He was diagnosed with stage one liver disease . My nephew was going through radiation for cancer on his scalp. My brother in law came down with COVID and was hospitalized in Atlanta. There were many family members that came down with the Covid 19 in Indiana and Atlanta plus my dear sweet pregnant granddaughter!  My husband fell down a hill and broke his back T-10 and 9th rib. My great niece was diagnosed with a tumor on her kidney. Little sweetheart had to have her kidney removed and Long months of chemotherapy ! My son in law almost lost his foot from severe infection and hospitalized to try and save the foot! Thank God healed the foot! My grandson had a motorcycle accident and broke a few bones! My great grandson had surgery on his eye muscle. My daughter in law had to have biopsies and was pre cancer and needs follow every year! Yesterday we lost our dear sister (my sil) in California with kidney failure! Oh believe me there’s more, these were just some the biggies! 

Good news! We have 2 new babies coming in July! 

Through it all God has had his hand on our family! I know we lost our sister in law but she was 91 and hurting all the time. She wanted to go home, she was tired! 

I will praise Him through the storms, I will praise Him !  Grams/Sleely

Psalm 46:1-3 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

Old blog transferring here

 

Wednesday, February 01, 2006

Rose of Sharon Lee World
I am just thinking of the day I met my husband. I was 14 years old. I was with my mom and sisters visiting another church at their revival. It was a small church in East Gary, Indiana. Brother Cooks Church of God. I sat on the back pew during service with my sister and friend. As soon as church was over we went outside while my mom was still praying with people at the alter. I remember skipping down the side walk and glancing over at someone sitting in a car. I didn't pay much attention just kept walking and talking to my friends. Finally my mom came out and we left. Little did I know at the time the person sitting in the car was the man I would spend my life with. I'll continue later.....

Circling around in my head

I once read, that worry is a misuse of the imagination.

Worry is thoughts circling around in my head.  The "what if's". Causing fear.
It is easier said than done. Don't worry. We are human and we worry. Loved ones, financial problems, health, afraid of being afraid, and on and on..

Philippians 4:6 Don't worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

So imagine if there was a period behind everything. I'm glad that it's a comma. Just a little funny there.
Anyway here's my story.

As a little girl, and I know it's sounds weird but I was afraid of being noticed. I was afraid of being talked to, because if someone talked to me, I would have to answer. Yep, weird little girl.
When growing up, we usually had company on Sundays. I can remember there were times when I  would stay in my bedroom all day after church of course. If it was someone I didn't feel comfortable with the "company" then I would not come out of my room. No food, no water, and if I had to go to the bathroom I would peek out to see if I could make it quickly without being noticed. Thank goodness it was just two steps from my room. Now when my cousins came to visit, mainly all boys, I would go outside to play with them and my two sisters. I felt comfortable with the cousins because they were fun and cute. Lol! I didn't have to talk much just out run them which I never seemed to do.

Who you calling Grams... just me.

Light sleeper 2014

coffee. Jun 9, 2014, 5:08 AM

Well, 3am and something woke me up. Figured out the noise was outside because I got up, checked all in the house trying to be quiet so I wouldn't wake up Bill and I found nothing. Oh great, the noise was outside! So I looked for a flash light, turned on the flood lights and ventured out the door. I couldn't see anything but still heard the noise even louder. Decided to wake up my husband in case I fell in the yard or something attacked me, he wouldn't hear a thing or hear me yell for help! You know, like a bear or tiger, Oh my! LOL! Sleepy man and I went on the hunt in the yard with one tiny flash light, at the wee hours in the morning. Yep, found it! A pipe busted under the house and water running from underneath like a river! It was hitting the inside of the foundation blocks creating a loud rapid pounding and flowing and creating a hole in the ground and draining God knows where. So we made our way to the front lawn, found the water meter and worked to turn the water off fighting a bed of ants all the while. Now wide awake, I am up for the day and husband is sleeping like a baby. Thankful the noise wasn't a bear or tiger but I am  not too happy right now.

I am 73 but I'm still me. (2018)

I am 73 but I'm still me,
the little girl that rode my bike
and played under our Willow tree.

I played outdoors from morning to eve,
Hopscotch, jump rope,
feeling the Indiana breeze.

My childhood was secure,
clean and pure,
even felt safe when I  walked to the store.

I am 73, but I'm still me,
that teen that married way too young,
I thought being a wife would be so much fun.

I washed and I cooked,
and cleaned everyday,
being a wife left no time to play.

I am 73 but I'm still me,
all  of a sudden I became a mother,
learning this love was like no other.

My three treasures I was given,
made my life worth living,
loved my children, I made mistakes but no retakes.

I am 73, but I'm still me...Written by Sharon Lyman.

(James 1:12 Blessed is the one who endures trials, because when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. )