The Bug Story

In the months after my mother died in Sept of 2007, Dad was very lonely.  Austin was living with him then but had not the slightest idea of the kind of grief Dad was experiencing.  So along with calling Dad every day I tried to go by and visit as much as possible.  He loved to go out to eat and he loved to look at new cars. 

Dad had gotten his driver's license when he was 10 years old in 1928.  His dad, Irvin had bought a car but after running into a ditch and tearing up a fence or killing livestock (I can't remember which) he turned the driving over to Bill.  That was the biginning of a lifelong love affair with the automobile.  After a serious illness at the age of 72, which kept him in a coma for 3 months and in the hospital for 6 months he could no longer drive.  So the chauffeuring was turned over to my mom Faye, a reluctant driver at best.   Dad had always picked out the cars so when Mom became the driver she insisted that she get to pick out the kind of car she wanted which was a Cadillac De Ville. Dad didn't mind that, as much a losing control so even though she was drving he told her how to drive.  Once when they were driving to Nashville, Mom missed an exit.  Dad was telling her "You don't know where you are going, you should have exited back there!!"  Mom looked at him and said, "You know, if you didn't have to use a walker I would stop right here and make you get out!"  Dad replied,"If my walker weren't in the trunk I would get out!"  And so it went.

My earliest memories of cars was when I was three.  We lived a block from the Ford delaership on 6th Street which was next to an ice cream arlour called  "The Spa".  In the 50s when the new model cars came out they would put them in the show room window with a cover over them.  Everyone always wanted to be there when the new model was unveiled.  Dad and I were there.  There was a 1955 Ford Crown Victoria that had been customized at the factory and my dad fell in love with it and bought it.  On the day he was to pick it up, still in the showroom window, he took me inside and told me to pick out any car I wanted and he would buy it for me.  I remember patting the Crown Victoria on the side and saying,"Yep this is the one I want."  He opened the door, I got in and we drove it out of the showroom.

When I was in college I jokingly told him I had seen the car I wanted, it was a 1973 Mach I Mustang with a 351 Cleveland engine.  I came home from my holiday job one day and the phone was ringing.  It was Dad.  He said, "Well if you want this Mustang you better get down here and drive it."  I did and it was mine.

So in his final days one of his biggest joys was to go and look at new cars.  He was almost blind and couldn't even drive the Cadillac Mom had left, but he still talked about buying a new car.  We drove Buicks, Mercurys and one day even ended up at the Volkswagon dealer.  He asked me if I were going to buy a car what kind would I buy.  I teasingly told him a Beetle convertible.  He tried to get into one but with his legs were so crippled he couldn't get in it.  The salesman wasn't busy and told him he would help him to get in any car he wanted to.  We spent a couple of hours there that day.

Two weeks later as I was leaving to go see him before church, the assisted living center called.  Dad had been sick during the night and it had continued.  I rushed over to see him.  His eyes and skin looked very jaundiced and after much convincing Jim and I talked him into going to the hospital.  It was snowing and I had promised him that since it was Mom's birthday I would take him by the cemetery.  He finally consented to go to the hospital.   The next day I stayed with him before and after school.  I had been there for several hours and he had fallen asleep.  I decided Iwould go home and let him sleep.  As I walked out of the room something stopped me.  I went back and touched his cheek and said, "I love you Daddy."  Without opening his eyes he said, "Love you too, Sugar."  I didn't know it, but those would be the last words of his I would ever hear.  He died later that night in his sleep.

Two weeks later I got a phone call.  it was the salesman from the VW dealer.  He said, "I have been trying to call Mr. Greenlee and can't get ahold of him, do you know where I can reach him?"  I told him dad had died.

He said," I'm sorry, but he ordered a car, I think it was for his daughter, do you want to come over and at least look at it?"  I got in his Cadillac and drove over to the dealership.  There shiney and waiting was the cutest little VW Beetle Convertible, red, with a black top and interior.  It was exactly what I would have picked out.  I drove it home and left the Caddy.  It was the last of his love affair with cars.

Christmas at Vintage Township

Vintage is in full swing for Christmas.  Jim was to be Santa but had to pull
out for Parkinson's related issues.  It will still be fun anyway.

The highlight of our holiday season was our son, Austin, coming to see us the week before Thanksgiving.

Around the corner.

The Garden court behind our house.

The over to Founder's Park where I took this pic of Jim by the outdoor fireplace.

The outdoor fireplace from a distance.

A cute house around the corner--for sale by the way--

Heading back to our house--

--Our little house on the right.

And home again.

And then of course---the Reason for the Season.

Decorating for the Christmas Home Show

I had this brilliant idea that since the living room has a 23 foot ceiling that a 12 foot Christmas tree was just what we needed.  So last February, after signing the papers to start the new house, we went out and bought a 12 foot  Christmas tree.  I didn't realize----

WHAT was I THINKING???  After much juggling and maneuvering we got the thing up, however all the limbs had to be opened one at a time.  So as I am doing that, I see me life flash before my eyes as the giant tree starts to fall.  Being on the top of the ladder, I was not in the most stable place to be tree wrangling. As I got a hold of it, I realized the ladder is going too. 

Fortunately Jim heard the scream and rescued me.  But that wasn't the end. After getting it upright again I decided that now was the time to put on the garland--so with Jim in bed I start to wind the tulle around the tree in little swags----and---TIMBER!!  So much for Jim being asleep. He decided that we needed to put wires from the balcony of the upstairs to hold it. Me once again on the ladder, holding the tree,  we get it wired, go down to look at it and it strangely resembles something leaning in Pisa. 

Today we finally got it wired with the tree straight up.   I had spent the afternoon at the dentist and as I sit looking at this behemoth, realize that there is no reason whatsoever for us to have a tree of any kind.  We have no one who visits us during the holidays.  BUT after this much trouble, I guess we will try to enjoy it.  We have lots of wonderful memories of Christmas' past to remember.

Thank goodness our two cats who always had to climb the Christmas tree now reside in kitty heaven or we would really be in trouble.

Intervention

Last week was the third week of my new position as an interventionist in a public school system in Lubbock. The first two weeks were mainly organizational. I got to know many of the students. This week we actually launched. I work with students in Reading, Math and Writing, in grades 1st through 5th. While it would be great to have the income and perks of a full-time job (I work full-time only Oct-April) My calling is definitelty for intervention.


My students are wonderful. Most are very intellegent and capable but have changed schools from 3 to 6 times--and some of those were 2nd graders. They are behind simply because of no continuity in their education, from being moved so much. In spite of that hardship--they are bright, eager students. I hope I have the opportunity to work with them all year.

My new school has an incredible posititive personality which makes it a delight to be there. I can't begin to tell you the thrill I feel when walking down the hall and hear a little voice whisper loudly,. "Mrs. Hayes, Mrs. Hayes," I turn to find a little smiling face and hand, waving wildy.
My 5th grade students had an "Ah Ha" moment after doing poorly on a Place Value test when we played a game using the place value chart. I showed them that they could all have aced the test--by simply drawing the chart. Their teacher had told them that many times, but since I have such small groups, I can talk to each student directly. They can have hands-on experience and individual success, by asking me all sorts of questions they would not ask in the classroom. I don't know who enjoys their success more--them or me.
I alway thought I wanted a classroom teaching job, but now realize I have found my niche.

Mrs. Petit

                                                                                  Mrs. Petit

The luncheon started out with only the "Inter-City Elementary" people. (Inter-City is an elementary school that is in between Texas City and LaMarque hence the name). So the first thing that came to my mind was Mrs Petit who taught there for many years.I couldn't help but think how she would enjoy seeing some of her former studnets so I asked her to come. She was thrilled. I talked to her several times in the next few months and she continued to tell me how she was looking forward to the luncheon.

On the morning of the luncheon, Madeline and I went to LaMarque and picked her up.  She was dressed and waiting at the front door for us.  She got to see many of her former students and meet others from our class.  Just looking at her I could tell she was enjoying every minute of the luncheon.
I took her back to her house and visited with her for awhile.  She walked me out to my car.  As I drove away she was sitting on the little planter in front of her house waving.  That would be the last time I would ever see her.

The next Thursday I got an email telling me she had died.  Her neighbor, a widoewer, had noticed that she did not put her car in the garage as usual and went to check on her.  He found her lying on the floor in the kitchen.  She had died while making supper the night before.

The notice in the paper told nothing about her long teaching career--or that she had volunteered over 1,000 hours at the hospital.  I couldn't bear for this incredible person's life to pass away so quietly.  I decided to tell what those of us, who had been in her class, had felt all these years.  The following was published in the Galveston County Daily News;



Mrs. Petit Was Called To Teach



At the dinner after my mother’s funeral, I looked around at all the friends and relatives and thought to myself how much Mom would’ve enjoyed the gathering.  I resolved to visit those I loved while they were living instead of just going to a funeral.


I had the privilege of taking my third-grade teacher, Helen Petit, to the La Marque High School Class of 1970’s 40th reunion Oct. 9.   She had taught school in La Marque for many decades. Marrying Smokey Petit in her 40s, she never had children of her own — her students were her children.  Long widowed, she lived in her tidy house in La Marque, next door to a devoted neighbor who checked on her. She had battled cancer in her later years, and her face showed the scars of many surgeries. It didn’t stop her.


To be a great teacher, one must have a calling. Mrs. Petit was one of those teachers.
While with friends the following week, she had talked nonstop about the students she had seen at the reunion.
Six days later, she went to be with the Lord. It was almost as though she confirmed that day that her life had been well lived and her students well taught.


She saw those former students, now in their late 50s, each giving her a hug and sharing their memories of being in her class.


As I dropped her off after the reunion, she told me: “I can’t wait to tell my friends what a lovely time I had. I will have something to talk about for a very long time.”


Mrs. Petit touched her students’ lives in a very special, personal way. We each felt like we were the student she cared for the most.


I hope she left this world knowing we felt the same way about her. Mrs. Petit, you will be missed.

Jan Greenlee Hayes


Lubbock




























The Banquet at the Moody Garden's Ballroom

                                                                                    Leslie Gill Biesiadecki and Kay Fox Calhoun

Greg Mazzantini (r) who teased me and gave me grief all of my school years.

Kay Fox Calhoun and Me.  She was

Homecoming Queen and I was her dorky friend.

The 40th Reunion

I made my reservation early and as a result was on the complete opposite side of the hotel as everyone else but on the up side I had a beautiful suite, one of the few with a balcony.

The Dog Track Reception

Connie Hanks, Gary Syfert Jere Syfert and Kay Fox Calhoun

My high school memories were not all that great.  In fact I didn't even go to the 30th reunion.  Since then my parents have both died and I felt this incredible need to reconnect with my childhood. So I went--

It was really nice this time because all of us had a sort of mini-reunion in the 6 months leading up to the reunion.  We were able to get to know one another again--this time as adults.  I met so many amazing people that I had never known in high school.  At the reunion I got to spend time with them and got to know them even better.  So despite the old saying, "You can't go home again," you really can.

Madeline Chambers McGillacuddy, Jere Syfert, me, Yavon Byrkett Hill, Dianne Samuelson McCrary and Sharon Kurtz

Robert Meyer, Jere Syfert and Gary Syfert

Madeline McGillacuddy and Robert Meyer

Harold and Lindy Lieban Schultz and Jere Syfert

Madeline, Terri Barnes Thomas and Lynn Crisler McLendon

The Class of 70 Luncheon at Landry's in Galveston

Harold, Lindy and Gary Waites

Jane Beckhusen Martyn, Debbie Hutto Carlisle and David Cappolino

Anne Sheppard and Yavon Byrkett Hill--the tiger roar?

Pam Dickson Zwolinski, Dianna Martin Sentryk and hubby Mark

Madeline and Jere

Steve Turner, his wife Becky Stone, Cindy Walbe, and Helen Albright Hulsey

Unknown person, Karen Deyo, Barbara and Robert Meyer, and Suzanne Watson Hill

More pictures to come tomorrow!

Answers

Inter-City Elementary Trivia Quiz
What historic event did we gather in front of the flag pole for in 1st grade?
We gathered around the flagpole--the whole school--to take down the flag with 48 stars and put up the one with 50 stars since Alaska and Hawaii had just become states.
Sputnik did orbit the earth about that time too.  I remember standing at the end of the driveway as my dad pointed it out streaming across the evening sky.
What did you have to do and find to get free ice cream in the Inter-City cafeteria?
Clean your plate & have a sticker on your plate that said W.H. Ward.  That contest made my mother livid because the overweight kids all cleaned their plates and got ice cream.  She said it was the skinny kids who needed to clean their plates and get ice cream. lol
Name two of the cafeteria ladies.
McCrary & Samuelson.  As in two of our classmates Dianne Samuelson (Mc Crary) and Roger McCrary

What teacher at Inter-City had a child that went to Inter-City?  Mrs. Greenlee--Me the daydreamer

Whose family added a bomb shelter to their house?  Pam Ryman's family.  It was like that episode of
Happy Days  Everyone wanted to be friends with Pam so in the nuclear attack we coud get invited to stay at Pam's shelter.  We didn't realize we all would have been toast by the time we got there, or actually before.

What historic event happened in 3rd grade?  John Glenn orbited the earth.  Mrs Williams brought a portable TV to th library ad we all got to go an dsit on the floor and watch them pick him up out of the water. I personally was more fascinated by the portable TV.

What was the school custodian’s name? His name was Eddie Pines.  He was a very tall black man, a gentle giant.  He was kind to everyone.  Mr. Ward once told my mother that he was the best psychologist in the school.  If Mr. Ward had an unruley kid he just couldn't calm down he took the child across the hall to "Pines".  Pines would talk to him and have him happy in now time. My mother ran into him occassioanlly at Bogatos years later, and he would still ask about the Inter-City kiuds by name.  Mom said, " Too bad he didn;'t become a teacher--he would have been a good one."  He died about 14 years ago.
What teacher played football for TCU? Mr. Wilcox.  He would say "Ackeehol" when he was teaching us about liquor and drugs and we would all giggle--made him furious--myself being the worst offender. He also hit me in the face one day for not paying attention (daydreaming again) and broke my glasses.  All he had to do was apologize to  MY MOTHER--not me!!

Who was the tallest teacher at Inter-City? The tallest teacher was Mrs. Giacona.  She was 6 feet tall and wore very short dresses.  She would sit on a stool outsie her door at the end of the day and hug everyone good bye. I wasn't in her class and  I remember being so jealous.  Her husband was Italian which was also a source of curiosity for us all.

What historic event happened in the 6th grade? Preident Kennedy was assasinated.  That was the first time I remember hearing that word.  Bobby Dodge had gone home for lunch and saw it on TV and burst into our classroom and told everyone.  Our class was in LOCKDOWN tld rest of the day so no one else would find out.  My father had said, "The country will come to an end if LBJ ever becomes president," so I was terrified that the end was happening that day!
Which teacher could write perfectly in cursive—backwards?
Mrs. Halbert.  Who incidentally came in second to Van Cliburn in the international piano competition that launched Cliburn's career.  When we got noisey or were not paying attention she would write in perfect cursive backwards--our assignemnts on the chalkboard---obviously I was the only one that was really impressed by that talent.

Who was the art teacher in 2nd grade?  I was in Mrs. Lassiter's class and he would come into our class and teach art.  I especially got on his nerves because I hummed all the time.  He would say, "NO HUMMING!  This is ART!"

And YES Steve Hickman I DO remember all these things myself and do not have a secret source of information as you had suggested--right PAM??

Jan Greenlee Hayes--the day dreamer.

The Inter-City Quiz

Inter-City Elementary Trivia Quiz
This test has officially been "Dumbed down for our Engineer Alumus" :-0

What historic event did we gather in front of the flag pole for in 1st grade?
a. sputnik oribiting the earth   b. Alan Shepherd going into space   c. changing the flag from 48 to 50 stars

What did you have to do and find to get free ice cream in the Inter-City cafeteria?
a. clean your plate & have a sticker on your plate b. eat veg & pickup trash   c. Take the teachers tray & put up your trash.

Name two of the cafeteria ladies.
a. McCrary  & Jones  b. Samuelson & Smith  c. McCrary & Samuelson


What teacher at Inter-City had a child that went to Inter-City?
a.  Mrs. Giacona   b.  Mrs. Carver   c. Mrs. Greenlee


Whose family added a bomb shelter to their house?
a. the Haygoods  b. the Rymans   c. the Dicksons

What historic event happened in 3rd grade?
a..Conoly became governor   b. John Glenn orbitted the earth  c.Kennedy elected president

What was the school custodian’s name?
a. Johnny Pines   b. Lenny Pines  c. Eddie Pines

What teacher played football for TCU?
a. Mr. Ward  b.Mr. Wilcox  c. Mr. Rawson

Who was the tallest teacher at Inter-City?
a Mr. Wilcox  b. Mrs. Giacona   c. Mrs. Halbert
What historic event happened in the 6th grade?
a. JFK shot   b. the 1st Texan became VP   c. John Conoly was assassinated.

Which teacher could write perfectly in cursive—backwards?
a. Mrs. Petit    b. Mr. Rawson  c. Mrs. Halbert

Who was the art teacher in 2nd grade?
a. Mrs. Halbert   b.  Mr Petmickey    c. Mrs. Hughes

The Reunion

I hadn't planned to go to this reunion at all.  I still felt really crabby about high school not being an especially great time in my life.  I felt like most of the time I was on the outside looking in.  As the reunion notices went out I noticed more and more people from my class getting on Facebook.  Gradually they began asking me to be their  friend.  Odd, I thought, since none of them had ever wanted to be my friend in HIGH SCHOOL.  But I agreed.  They starteed to make comments about my posts.  We began to ask about each other's posts and  I made a huge discovery.  It had nothing to do with them, all I would have had to do was to say hi and talk to them--it was me.  I never allowed the door to be opened to know all these great people--people, it turns out I have a lot in common with.

That door now being open I am--for the first time looking forward to seeing and spending some time with those old classmates.  It started out as a few people from the old neighborhood getting together for lunch, Steve, his wife Kayla, me and Madeline.  Another person said, "What  a great idea, can I come too?"  So we invited her, and another and another--until it was no longer the people from our old neighborhood but rather over 50 people from our graduating class.

I am so excited, many new friends, friendships established on who we are today with no pretenses from the past.  Our starting point--growing up in the same little town.  Thanks to Jere, Madeline, Steve, Elizabeth, Becky, Lindy, Debbie, Pam and all my  "New" Class of '70 friends.

The following is a poem I wrote in a literature class, in graduate school, about my school expereince.  I started to school in 1958.  It had been 12 years since the end of WWII and the country was in a police action with Korea.  Everyone was familiar with the order that the military gave their lives and that order carried into the schools. Conformity was THE RULE.  In 1958 I fell under this way of thinking.  I was not ordered or conformist in any thing I did.  Who knew that someday boys really  would wear red pants?  I was ............................

THE CREATIVE CHILD

The creative child

Knew all about school.

Her mom was  mommy

and a teacher too.

The first day finally came,

She was excited to go.

When dropped off early,

her fears stared to grow.

Will I fit in?

She wanted to know.

Who are these kids?

Any I know?

Mrs.Smith arrived

With keys in hand.

She looked at the child,

It was not as she planned.

She told the child

"Come in, sit down,

Take a desk to the back."

The child looked around.

Mrs. Smith like to follow the rules,

Otherwise she couldn't imagine just what they would do.

She had them color a boy in blue jeans

In the creative child's eyes they could be red too.

JEANS ARE NOT RED!

The child should have known

Mrs.smith gave an F

And said, "Take it home!"

On a big piece of paper

the children each drew

squares and circles, in red white and blue. 

Those were not the colors the creative child used.

She drew flowers

like Daddy had grown

She drew them in odd shapes

of flowers she'd known.

They were pink and purple

And some color unknown

Mr. Petmickey heard

the child humming

a popular tume.

This is ART child--!

No humming in school!

In the 4th grade Mrs. Crain

filled the children with dread,

"Daydream! Imagine!

Write what comes in your head!

Most of the children

Sat stiff and confused,

Their thinking was ordered

They needed some rules.

But the child loved the challenge,

She just couldn't miss,

She wished each day in school

Could be just like this.

Creativity was scary

They needed order back then---

So the creative child

Just never fit in.

                                                                 Jan Greenlee Hayes

Sooner

When I first saw Sooner crammed into a tiny cage at the mall, I felt so sorry for her.  She was obviously too large for the tiny cage.  When I asked the lady if I could see her, she said, " That mean dog??  I don't know why anyone would want to see that dog!"  Once she was out of the cage she was the happiest puppy. Already 3 months old, she was very skinny and starved for attention. 

Austin, my son had been wanting a dog forever.  The next day I took him to see her.  I had thrown the cat carrier in the back of e truck--just in case.  Once again, when we asked to see her, the lady told us she was a really mean dog.  Once in the puppy room her personality came alive, and she seemed like the perfect happy little puppy.  She was a Blue Heeler, also called Australian Cattle Dogs, and full blood.  I twas an additional $200 to get her papers so I delcined and so started Austin's love affair with His Dog.    Austin was 18, and going to South Plains College.  He was living at home and the understanding was that when he left, Sooner was to go with him.  He promised she would go with him.

She was  darling puppy.  Her right ear flopped over not yet able to stand up on its own.  She had white "Bracelets" around each of her front ankles.  We accidentally left the front gate open on the second day but there was Sooner sitting faithfully guarding the house.  A couple of months later Austin decided to move into an apartment and although he had promised to take Sooner with him--she stayed at our house.  She had gotten so attached to Austin that no matter how much attention we paid to her, she was always looking for Austin.  He would come home and take her for rides in the back of the truck which she dearly loved.  We had begun to notice a quirk, Sooner was terrified of thunder.  She would scratch furiously at the door and when we let her in she woudl go to Austin's room, and put only her head under the bed.  When we would try to get her out she would snarl and bite and snap.  It would usually be 24 hours before we could approach her.  Unfortunately is would be 6 years before she and Austin would actually live together again.

Sooner was not  happy living with Jim and me, although we tried very hard to bond with her.  She made it distinctly clear that she did not like me, Jan, feeding her.  When I would have to feed her she would snap at me before I could get close enough to the bowl to put the food in.  When Jim was out of town I finally got to where I would open the door and just throw the food on the patio to jeep her from snapping at me.  I could occassionally pet her but only in Jim or Ausitn's presence.  When Sooner was 2 years old we added another puppy to our household.  Austn had assured us that Sooner would be going to live with him shortly.  Tristan was a lab, border collie mix.  He unfortunagly had gotten the bad qualities of both breeds.  He was hyper, clumsy and had no memory evidently.  When he was about 6 months old Sooner started to bite his beautiful little brown nose.  Unlike most dogs he seemed to want to just go back for more and more abuse.  His pretty nose started to look like the caulifower ear of a boxer.  We tried putting Sooner in another part of the yard where they couldn't get together but that caused  her to start to bark. 

The one day we came home from church and noticed the gate was open.  Tristan was gone.  Sooner however was sitting at the back door like the guardian of the house.  For weeks we hunted forTris but no one had seen him.  I called the pound every day, checked at the Humane Society adoption day on Saturday at PetsMart but no Tristan.  Sooner continued to be nice to the people she liked and bite or snap at those (me) she didn't like.  

In 2007 my mother died and within 6 months my father had also died.  Since it was so hard to keep up two houses I told Austin that he could move into my parents house--for keeping it up and doing the yard.  He was thrilled because now for almost the first time he and Sooner could be together.  Sooner quickly took over the place.  She slept on the floor by Austin's bed, and if her bed wasn't there--she moved it.  They lived there for two years and she was the happiest she had ever been.  She did have a kennel she would get in, but if anoyone besides Austin, ever trie to close the door she would bite them.  She seemed to remember that tiny cage in the pet store.

In Janary of 2010  Austin was transferred to San Antonio, and had to move to an apartment.  Jim and I had gotten a Border Collie puppy the summer before.  Her name was Skye and she was only  6 months old when Sooner once again returned to invade her space.  Sooner seemed to respect that fact that Skye had been there first this time and for awhile they seeemed to tolerate each other.  When  Skye played with her toys Sooner would  get agressive and snatch them away from her.  Sooner didn't want them, just wanted to take them away from Skye.  Skye seemd to understand that Sooner didn't like her and with her quick moves and ability to run, managed to stay out of Sooners way.  Once again the feeding problem surfaced.  As She had done with Tristan,Sooner would eat her food and at the same time not allow Skye to eat-they hd separate bowls.  She could take a bite and look to see if Skye was eating, then charge Skye and take over her bowl, as Skye would circle around to Sooner's bowl the whole routine woudl be repeated again.  We started to bring Skye in so they both could eat alone. 

We in the meantime had started to build a new house.  It was downsizing from the hosue we were currently in, and also had about 1/3 of the yard.  At that point we told Austin, you need to get into a position to take Sooner with you.  It will just not work with both dogs in the small yard.  He assured us he would.  But everytime we tlaked to him he had not found a way or place to be able to tak her with him.  Her agressiveness continued to escalate.  She showed more disdain for me and further more the snapping and biting had started to emerge even with Jim.  Now when it thurndered she would pound at the door.  When Jim would go out to feed her, she would rush him, almost knocking him down and go for the bed. If anyone evern came in to the room or the attached bathroom, they would be met with her bared teeths and fierce growls.  I was afraid of her and would close the door until she yipped to come out.   We continued to tell Austin that he needed to come and get her, he never seemed to be able to work out a solution.

We moved into the new house in August of 2010.  I had come to the conclusion that two dogs in a tiny yard was going to have to some way work. I ordered two new doghouses, that looked like Snoopy's from Hayneedle.  When the houses arrived, we arranged them in the yard with the backs of the houses together and food bowls in front.  That way Sooner could not see Skye and vice versa, Sooner would be able to eat without seeing Skye, and could go into her house without seeing Skye.  Sooner however soon realized this was the plan.  She started to eat then, charged around the houses to Skye's food.  Skye would back up in fear as Sooner finished Skye's food.  One day it was raining and both dogs were in their houses.  Suddenly Sooner charged out fo her house and into Skye's house pinning Skye to the back of her house.  When the dogs emerged Skye ran to the back of the yard.  Sooner stood proudly by Skye's house.  Skye never went in it again.  When it rained Skye would be happily wagging her tail in the rain while Sooner sat snug in her house with her nose out ready to chase Skye away from the empty house.

Skye was very good hearted and seemed to understand Sooner's quirks.  We had been in the new house for a month.  Jim went out to feed the dogs.  The new routine was; he would feed Sooner first and then Skye--then he would stand by Skye until she finished eating so Sooner wouldn't take her food too.  Jim put Sooner's food in her bowl, she started to eat.  He walked around the doghouses to the other bowl. As he began to pour it into Skye's bowl, Sooner charged around the house, grabbed Skye by the back of the neck and started to shake her.  It was apparent that her intention was to kill.  Jim jumped into the fray immediately and pulled Sooner off the pup and then Sooner turned and began to attack Jim, biting him on the foot.

After consulting two vets, the humane society and the animal shelter we decided that Sooner had to be put down.  I had never had to put a healthy, smart animal down.  Jim and I were both so torn.  We had come to the point that we were both afraid of Sooner.  Jim loaded Sooner into the truck, tried to call Austin and took her to the animal shelter.  They advised us that we could not take the chance with her anymore.  One of the vet's told me that animals, like people could have mental illness.  Sooner was obviously one of those dogs.  It had probably started back at the pet store in the too small cage,  being fed too seldom.

Skye hiding from Sooner behind the new doghouses.

So Sooner--we really did love you.  If only you could have seen that and loved us back. I never met an animal I didn't love--but I also hadn't eve met one who couldn't love back. Bye Sooner.

The Red Tiffany Lamp

The college scholarships Faye had hoped to earn for college, were now a forgotten dream. Her family had moved at the end of her junior year in high school to Prairie Valley from Prague. No one at Prairie Valley High School had known her long enough to see her many talents. In spite of a flawless academic record she hadn’t even graduated with honors. Nothing could deter her from the goal however. Dressed in the brown tweed suit her mother had made, with her mother’s nicest brown leather handbag, Faye watched as her dad slung the battered old leather suitcase into the back of the truck. Then waving to her teary eyed mom, they took off down the road to meet the bus to Ada and East Central College. She would have gone all the way to Norman to the University of Oklahoma had she a little more money.

Faye had carefully counted her graduation money putting back enough for her tuition. With the rest she could buy her bus fare, eat one meal, and stay one night in a boarding house—unless she found a job that included room and board—in that case she could eat dinner too. Registering for college, finding a job and place to stay was going to be a big order for only one day.

The bus ride to East Central College in Ada, Oklahoma was hot and dusty. Upon arrival she found the registrar’s office and ran for her classes—registration consisted of getting a “Ticket” for each class she wanted to take, finding the table of that class, seeing if it had any open places and signing for it. It could be a long process since a class you needed might be at the same time as another class for which you had already given a ticket. Seldom did a freshman register and get all the classes he or she wanted. This however was summer school and it proved to be quicker and without all the frustrations of fall freshman registration.

Faye stopped by the Student Union building for lunch, but instead saw a sign telling where applications were being taken to work on campus. This was especially exciting since campus jobs usually included room and board. She got to the counter to find that they had stopped taking applications for the summer but she could fill one out for the fall. Disappointed, but still encouraged, since this would mean her fall employment was almost assured.

By now it was after 3 PM and Faye still had to find a job and place to live. Since she had not eaten, she still had her lunch money and one night’s room in her purse. As she walked toward the boarding house she had seen earlier in the day, she saw a sign posted in a yard on Silk Stocking Row (where all the large houses were), “Caregiver Needed, Room and Board”. The house was beautiful and neatly manicured.

Up the long walk she went, and knocked on the door. A man possibly in his early 40s answered the door. He introduced himself to her, invited her in, and began to tell her about the job. “You will be the sole caregiver for, my mother, the elderly Mrs. Lee. She is in extremely poor health and needs help with all of her daily activities. She is quite precise in her needs and a bit on the unpleasant side. You will be needed to aid her at all times with time off only on Sunday and during your class time.” Faye didn’t even think. She told him she would take the job. She was tired of lugging that heavy old suitcase and finally she could take off her shoes and relax. Mr. Lee let out a big sigh. “Shall I show you to your room?” She nodded.

They walked through the elegant old house, through the extraordinary garden, to the back of the garage to a servant’s room. It was clean and nicely appointed. She put down her suitcase and began to relax when Mr. Lee turned and said, “Take 15 minutes or so and meet me in the parlor, I will show you what needs to be done tonight. And where you can prepare my mother’s dinner”. It was just the beginning of a summer of very long days.

Faye’s summer was indeed very long—and the long days continued into the fall. The campus job did not materialize for the fall but rather for January. Faye was just glad she had a job, even if it was an unpleasant one. Mrs. Lee didn’t like Faye anymore than Faye liked her. They did have a good working relationship, but Faye’s only study time was when the unpleasant old woman would go to bed in the evening. Sometimes Faye felt that Mrs. Lee stayed up as late as she could just to spite her, holding her glass of milk and nodding, awakening just before she would drop the glass.

Walking back to the house after class on a Wednesday, Faye noticed at a distance, a sign in the yard of the old woman's house. “Caregiver Needed, Room and Board.” Shocked she ran into the house to find Mr. Lee sitting quietly in the parlor. “I am sorry to alarm you like this. I know of your integrity and hard work. I trust you inexplicably with my mother, but she insists that you have stolen something from her. She can’t remember what it was but she thinks something is missing. I cannot reason with her on these things. I will have to let you go.” Biting her lip to keep from saying something she might regret, she thanked him and headed out to her room. Her head was spinning, where would she stay tonight? She had money, but it was what she had saved for spring tuition. As she packed her things, there was a knock at the open door.

Turning around there was Mr. Lee standing with a large box. “I have seen you admire this red Tiffany lamp. I feel so badly for letting you go, but my mother—she is so unreasonable—she imagines these things. I want you to have the lamp-perhaps you can sell it and have enough money to finish the semester.” She looked at him in disbelief. “He is throwing me out in the street with my suitcase, no place to go, and he is giving me a stupid lamp???” He saw the frustration on her face. “I will have it sent to where you will be staying.” She continued to pack—“I will be at Mary’s at least for the next few days. I hope, she thought. Mary would be surprised!  "Here is the address—you may send it there,” she said as she scribbled down the address.

She walked the 3 blocks to the boarding house where Mary lived. Graciously the land lady said Faye could stay with Mary provided she pay per week as Mary, which she did. The red Tiffany lamp was delivered and although the room was small and cluttered with all the earthly belongings of two college girls, there on the bureau sat a most elegant Tiffany lamp. As the word spread about what had happened to Faye’s job, the professors in the Home Economics department kept her busy with baby sitting jobs for the rest of the semester. She decided not to sell the lamp until she absolutely had to.

Photographs of Faye and Bill Greenlee beside the "Tiffany" lamp.

NOTE: The lamp remained in Faye Emerson Greenlee and Bill Greenlee’s house for the remainder of her 86 years of life, passing it down to her daughter Jan Greenlee Hayes, who later passed it down to Faye’s granddaughter Erin Emerson Hayes Burt. It was rumored Mrs. Lee was the niece of the Civil War general, Robert E. Lee. There was no proof however, only the word of Mrs. Lee and her son. Although Mr. Lee said that lamp was a Tiffany lamp, there was no identifying mark as proof of it being a Tiffany.

From TALES MY MOTHER TOLD ME, by Jan Greenlee Hayes

I miss Skye

Since we moved into the new house Skye has had to stay at the other house.  The landscape guy doesn't want any dogs on the grass for a couple of weeks.  So I  have to go to the other house to see her.  She wants to come with me so badly.  She does the happy dance when I get there and then sad eyes when I have to leave.  I would bring her and just keep her in but the cats are here, and that just would not work 24/7. She would have the cats herded into a corner and they woudl have to fight their way out--I think Skye would get the worst of that fight. 

Only another week Skye--and you can come to the new house--promise!

                                                 Sigh~~~

At home

I have had several people ask me about the picture on my blog.  I took it in December,09 in Durnstein, Austria.  We were walking down that little cobblestone path back to the boat, when the mist in the air, the sun, everything was perfect.  It depcits the quaintness of the little village perfectly.

We are moved into the new house.  I never knew we had so much junk--one thing about it, it will make for a doozy of a garage sale!  One of my young neighbors, after looking in our garage, told me she loves to do garage sales and maybe I would like to participate---oh yeahhhh.

This is the living room.  It is pretty much in order--most of the pictures hung--some of Jim parents I still want to include in my black and white grouping.

There is actually a lot of landscaping--with two rows of shrubs--one high and one low--I guess they look bigger from the window :)

The porch.  We have sat out on the porch every night and had a neighbor join us.  Everyone is so friendly, since we have moved so much we have missed "connections".  I think we will have some here.  I have had wet hair every time I have met someone since I swim laps every evening.  They won't recognize me with my hair dry.

My welcome mat.  My college roommate, Janis and her husband John sent this to us for a house warming gift.  She is my dearest friend and the closest person I will ever have to a sister.  The rug has green in it that is just the color of the green in the house.  I love it!!

Looking into the entry from the living room.  It is going to be so much fun to decorate for Christmas!!

Another view of the living room. 

The dining room and our outside dining porch.  Surprisingly we have eaten all of our meals so far, outside.  It has gotten cooler and by evening is really pleasant.

We are soooo pooped from the move.  I don't know what we would have done if our daughter Erin hadn't deicded to come last weekend.  It was wonderful for her to help us and even more great to get to spend some time with her.