Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Old Postcard of Paragould, Ark



I said that Jason Henderson Hunter spent his last years in Paragould, Greene County, Arksansas.  Look up!  Here is an old postcard of that area that I found on Google.

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Jason H. Hunter, continued from yesterday



Before the Civil War, Jason was a state representative living in Bollinger County, Missouri. At one point there a warrant was issued for he and his wife for a land fraud deal that a bank believed they were involved in. I haven’t found anything to show what the outcome of those warrants was.




After the Civil War he was living in Paragould, Greene County, Arkansas. Again he was a state representative.



Jason left a trail of three wives, two lovers, fifteen legitimate , and at least three illegitimate children.



Jason lived in Franklin, North Carolina, Bollinger County, Missouri, and Greene County, Arkansas. The Trail of Tears went through all three.

Labels:

Monday, January 28, 2013

Jason Henderson Hunter (c1815-c1885)


My great-great grandfather Jason Henderson Hunter lived an interesting life. 

He was probably born in Henderson County, North Carolina, and moved with his parents to Union County, Georgia.  In about 1839 he and his brother were soldiers in the group that marched the Indians from Georgia and North Carolina, to Oklahoma, known as "The Trail of Tears"

After that in about 1840 he moved to Franklin, North Carolina, and became a constable, where he had frequent run-in with presiding judges.

In 1842 Catherine Davis and Rebecca Trammell sued Jason for Bastardy.  Rebecca was the mother of my great grandfather William A. Hunter.  The judge ruled in favor of the women, Jason was to pay chld support of $100 yearly to each.  About 5 years later Catherine Davis sued Jason for the bastardy the second time..

Jason married Elizabth Sherrell in 1843 and they had five chilfen.


From Macon County, North Carolina, Deed Book D:


1782. Mortgage: JASON H. HUNTER of Macon to NICHOLAS W.WOODFIN of Buncombe Co., NC for $1, 167 ac. on which Hunter lives, purchased lives, purchased from Michael Wikle on the Tennessee R., Sec. 38, Dis. 16; also the Sellers tract purchased of JAMES SELLERS, 174 ac., Sec. 38 Dis. 1; also 50 ac. Sec. 64, Dis. 8, purchased of BENJAMIN HYDE; also 116 ac., purch. of Hyde, Sec. 69, Dis. 8. Also for $1 has sold to Woodfin three negro slaves, woman of dark complexion named EMMA, 27 years, one boy child of the woman Emma, aged abt. 4 yrs, of yellow complexion named JOHN and one other child of same woman, a female named MARGARET, aged 1 yr. Condition: Hunter indebted to Woodfin by $602 note dated Sep. 15, 1843, also following notes in hands of Woodfin as attorney for following Charleston merchants: $185.58 due firm of ROOSEVELT & BARKER, dated Oct. 26 1843, with credit of $50; one of $144.11, same firm, dated June 4, 1844; another of $61.60, due TOWNSEND & MENDELHALL & CO, dated Oct 27, 1843, with credit of $140.00; another of $351.79, due KELSEY & DEAS, dated June 4, 1844; another of $100.12, same firm, Dec 14, 1844.

J.H. Hunter, Wit: H.G. WOODFIN, who proved Dec 17, 1844. Registered Feb 12, 1845.

I had a chance to do some more research for my book at Tulane University's Special Collections Library (background on M. Jeff Thompson, who Jason Hunter served under) and also to visit the Confederate Museum. I'm amassing a lot of information on Jason's confederate military career both ashore and afloat and I know you will find this interesting. Brig. Gen. M. Jeff Thompson, Missouri's Swamp Fox, said Jason was both heroic and patriotic. I'm off tomorrow to Sikeston, Missouri (still on vacation, but still searching for Jason's history). Jason and his men did a lot of fighting around Sikeston and I'm hoping to get up to Marble Hill, MO (formerly Dallas township) in Bollinger County, where Jason as a Captain raised a company for military service. I found some information on Jason in the Sikeston library, but need to spend more time in the area.

He was a representative from Bollinger CO in 1858. Also, according to the "History of Bollinger County: 1851-1976", Three companies of men were organized into a battalion of the State Guard troops under his command in early June 1861. In July, the battalion was joined with the Scoitt County Infantry Battalion into the Second Infantry Regiment, First Division Missouri State Guard, with the Bollinger County Battalion designated as the Second Battalion, Second Infantry. Brig. Gen. M. Jeff Thompson (the Missouri Swamp Fox) was the head of the First Division. : I agree with you that Andrew J. and John A. are one and the same. My theory is that at age 13 or 14 in 1860--14 and 15 during the civil war outbreak--he may have gone with his father's battalion as a drummer boy...and been killed somewhere along the way. Of course, during those times in Bollinger CO, it

was literally neighbor against neighbor. In Missouri, in certain counties like Bollinger where the sentiments were about evenly split between Union and Confederate, it was '"hell on earth" for civilians. Maybe Andrew J. or John A. was killed by one of the guerrilla bands that frequented the area. One other possibility: Maybe Jason sent the family further south for protection (many

Missourians favoring the South did so).

My interest in finding out everything I can about him stems from a book I have been researching. The main character in my book (a Union officer) was first wounded in a skirmish with Jason and his men in Charleston, MO on Aug. 20, 1861. It has taken a lot of time just to identify Jason H. Hunter as the leader of the band. I started with a "Col. Hunter" and that was it! This was

complicated by the fact that Jason and his men were based at one time or another at "Camp Hunter" and "Hunter's Farm", two places owned by another segment of the Hunter family..

I appreciate the info on Jason as a member of Co A, 1st Bat, Mo Infantry and the fact that he was later elected Captain and served as Inspector and Mustering Officer. This was after he was court martialed and broken. Prior to that he was a Colonel. After being broken he joined Col. William L. Jeffers' 8th Missouri Cavalry Regiment, CSA, and saw frequent action in Arkansas. (More

later).

Bollinger CO. Marble Hill is the county seat, not Cape Girardeau. It was originally named Dallas and had that name during the civil war. Unfortunately I didn't get up to Bollinger CO on my trip to Sikeston, but plan to next time. I did find out that Jason was a Bollinger representative 1858-1860. Also the William Grimsley that was ruled against by the court along with Jason was a

storekeeper in Dallas who raised troops along with Jason. I think the court's ruling against the two was probably for alleged damages during the war and since neither was living in the county it was easy to dispose of their property.

I am checking on William L. Jeffers, Jason's old commander in the 8th Missouri Cavalry. After the war, he returned to Southeast Missouri, settling in Clarkton, where he operated a hotel and served as the local peace officer. He then spent his remaining years running a hotel in Dexter, MO. It is said he was always interested in the welfare of the ex-Confederate soldiers, so I'm working on the hunch that he and Jason communicated. I also plan to check out William C. Grimsley (the guy who lost his land along with Jason in the Bollinger CO court). Maybe he settled near Jason or at least kept in touch. Who knows? Hopefully, I can track down more correspondence of Jason's.

Yes, William Jeffers was quite a man. Some time after he died, his old comrades in arms raised money and erected a statue in Jackson, MO (his hometown) to honor him. It is still there. Some of the troops that rode with him were: the James brothers, the Younger brothers and Daniel McGee.

-Excerpts from e-mail notes of Richard "Rich" Wright - 1998


To be continued.





Saturday, January 26, 2013

I Want To Move to Salem, USA!



Do you ever watch the soap DAYS OF OUR LIVES? I like it because all they do is stand around and talk. Nobody works for a living. How could you work at a full time job when there is all that standing around and interacting to do?


I wonder what is the main product that is produced in Salem? Do they have an assembly line? Or just outside of town do they have huge productive farms where immigrant workers come in and do all the work, thus freeing the town folk to stand around and talk.



And the good part is that they always discuss their most shameful secrets in either a public coffee house or a little park-like old town setting. I am not much of a talker in public and I am one heck of a listener. I like to tune in on private conversations in public places, especially if it is a juicy conversation. I would be like a fly on the wall. My nose would be in heaven!





Friday, January 25, 2013

Time Changes or Time Out*





On NPR yesterday evening I heard a talk, or a report, on the Republican Party having a winter meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina. 

Wasn't Charlotte where they had their last convention?  They don't like change do they?

And that is what the meeting was about; discussing  how they must change to keep up with today's changing world.  With the middle age white executive becoming less powerful  and the diverse becoming more closely to a majority  they need to change, they all agreed.

A reporter asked one party leader does that mean they are going to change their outlook, offically, on gay rights, conservatism spending, and so on.  The leader more or less said, "Absolutely not!  But we will be more polite and pretend to listen to opposing views."

*The title is strickly a lure for fans googling Dave Brubeck's stuff.

Labels: ,

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Dirty Georgia Politics

Chip Rogers

Ashlie Wilson Pendley


There is something fishy going on in Georgia.


Last year after he was reelected Senator Chip Rogers resigned from being a Senator for wishy-washy reasons.


Next GPB (Georgia Public Broadcasting) announced it had hired Chip Rogers.
Next it was discovered that the ex-senator’s annual salary at GPB is $150,000. He is the second highest paid person at GPB. He is being paid more than the producers and no one can tell what his job is. His title has something to do with recruiting, but really!


When producer Ashlie Wilson Pendley heard about his high-salary that has no duties she resigned which brought this injustice out in the open. Ashlie should be hailed as a hero for having the courage to bring this to the public’s eyes.

Another fact: The State of Georgia give GPB between 40% and 50% of their total annual income.
It has all the markings of a favoritism and backroom payoffs.




What kind of dirty Deal is this?

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Granddaddy and Daddy Frank

Frank Paris Hunter

Frank and Minnie Tyson Hunter Dec 21, 1899, their wedding Day
Minnie and Frank Hunter and children about 1916 in front of their residence on Waterman Street, Marietta, Georgia


Minnie Tyson and Frank Paris Hunter about 1948


My grandfather was Frank Paris Hunter (1879-1950).  He was born in Gilmer, Hood County, Texas.  He told me he was named that because he was born when the family was moving back to Franklin, North Carolina, being between Paris, Texas, and Franklin, North Carolina.

However, the family may have had the intention of going back to Franklin, North Carolina, which his parents were born, but they only made it as far east as Woodstock, Cherokee County, Georgia.

Woodstock seems random doesn't it?  Not so.  In the Civil War his father William fought on Kennesaw Mountain and was shot in the knee.  He recuperated at a private home just a few miles north of Woodstock.

Frank learned a machinist trade and worked for various companies in Atlanta, Alabama, and Marietta.  His last job as a machnist was at Glover Machinery in Marietta.  He had a part time job after he retired at a mattress company just up the street but I think it was just a hangout for his drinking buddies.

He married Minnie Tyson in 1899 and they had nine children:  Eight sons and one daughter.  But that is not all the children he fathered.  Read on.

They lived on Manget Street in Marietta when Minnie died in 1948.  After she died my family moved in with Grandpa to help out.

He and I had a nice relationship.  I was about 7 to 9 years old during our time with him until he died.  He taught me how to ride a bike and told me a lot of family stories which I hate that I didn't retain.

He kept his whiskey hidden under the house, which he had to have a few good drinks every day.  Sometimes he would have more and get more talkative.  Sometimes his cronies would come over and they would pass the bottle around, at the corner of the house where my mother couldn't see them out a window.

one time he and I were sitting in the yard in metal outside straight chairs that was between the house and the street.  A truck came by slowly, and the lady driver looked intently at us, then backed up and parked on the edge of the street and got out.  She asked was he Frank Hunter and he said yes.  She told him she was his daughter.  She must have looked around and determined he didn't have much and then had some unkind words for him.  She got back into her truck and drove away, leaving him speechless.

But not speechless for long.  He made a quick visit to under the house and had a lot of swigs.  My mother saw the woman get into the truck and drive away and by then whiskey had loosed up Grandpa's tounge and he told Mama everything.

She got on the phone and soon all his children knew.  Herbert, the oldest, came over after work laughing said, "Your Tomcatting caught up with you didn't it?"  Hmm!  He was one to talk.

As the story unfolded here is what happened:  Frank and Minnie's first years of Marriage were in Woodstock.  The first child, Herbert was born in or near Woodstock in Cherokee County and Bee was born in Texas.   Between Herbert and Bee Frank had a fling with a girl with the last name McClure.  I found on th censuses many McClures in Cherokee County.  When Frank's parents and Minnie's parents found out the McClure lady was pregnant by Frank they collected enough money between them to send her to Texas to have the baby.

Because the next born of Frank and Minnie was born in Texas I suspect Frank went to Texas too and so did Minnie.  They didn't stay very long, the next born was born back in Cherokee County, Georgia.

Then, in time was forgotten, until near his death his daughter made an appearance in his life again.  I don't know if that was good thing or a bad thing.

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

The Inauguration From My Eyes




I thought it was good, I mean great.  The protocol folded itself out in a very organized manner and it was very ceremonously with music from the military and live performers. 

It was interesting to watch people the well-known people interacting with each other with the long range camera lens view was closeup on them, especially the First Family.  One can only speculate what was said.

I thought Obama's speech was a darn good one.  He didn't sugar-coat things.  He more or less asked the nation's elected officials  what is more important, an oath to a lobbyist or the oath they took to guard and protect their country.

He used the word "gay" and their rightfully rights, making a bit of first time history using the word "gay" to note homosexuals. 

The toasting afterwards was sort of funny.  Each time the toaster started off by recognizing each person of importance and there was a table with that category full... and almost each time at least one person was left out, in error, I'm sure. 

NBC News did a great job among themselves discussing or explaining what we were seeing.  At one point during the parade they after the First Couple got out to walk they challenged Al Roker to get the President's attention from where he was at behind the line.  It almost like a double-dog dare young boys would give each other.  Al succeeded and they are called it an in-depth interview.  Then along came the vice president and Al, on a roll, tried it again and succeeded again.  It was a comic releif.

I think James Taylor and Beyonce sung great too.

Monday, January 21, 2013

Practice Makes Perfect


I think after three times the 4th Oath should be a breeze.   The first time four years ago Justice John Roberts crossed a word, so Obama had it done over.  If it wasn't done over correctly some of the anti-Obama forces would claim he was not legally the president.

Then yesterday at twelve O'Clock noon the term of president's term officialy ended, so it had to be done then.  And today, the Oath is for the show.

Sunday, January 20, 2013

General U.S. Grant On Jeff Davis





I am reading the book KILLING LINCOLN by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dogard.

The book is bringing up all sorts of interesting trivia about the Civil  War.  For example General Grant's horse was named Jeff Davis.  I would think Grant took pleasure in jabbing Jeff Davis with his spurs whenever he got a notion.

It is not the only time an animal has been given the name of someone the owner knows.

It reminds me of a bank executive of the First National Bank of Marietta, many years ago retired and bought a farm in north Georgia.  He bought several cows and named them after certain female employees at the bank. 

After he made improvements of the farm he bought he invited the lady employees he worked with up for lunch.  They came and he showed them around the farm.  He introduced them to his cows; their namesakes.

One of the ladies asked who milked the cows and he said that he did and with a crooked smile said he enjoyed every minute of it.

One of the ladies said she felt "violated".

Labels:

Friday, January 18, 2013

I Have a Better Idea




There is talk about arming the teachers in case a wild man, or men, with a guns attacks the school.

I remember some teachers were short tempered.  Do we really want to arm short tempered teachers? 

Well, I suppose the 2ndAdmendment, states that every American citizen has a right to arms to defend him or herself.  There is nothing about age qualilfications.

Therefore,  the students should be armed too!

The student has a right to protect himself against nuts, agressive teachers and I suppose recess bullies.

And the bullies are American citizens too, so they get to stand their ground.

Thursday, January 17, 2013

History and Travel TV An't What It Used To Be



I would like to watch a history channel that is primarly about history not a bunch of flea markets, yard sales, and pawn shops which watches the art of buying low and making a profit  I admit I like that kind of program too, but it seems to be a dominant force in history TV.  If I had to choose from watching watching a professonal collector buying or a program developed by Ken Burns, give me Burns.



And I would like to watch a travel channel that talks about interesting places in far away places rather than just visiting the restaurants that have huge amounts of food that you can have free if you can eat it all in the alloted time with people cheering you on.

Call Me Old Fashion.

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

How Do You Get To Carnegie Hall?

There is the old joke where a gentleman walks up to a beatnik and asks the above question.  He replies, "Practice man, practice."

On this day in history, January 16, 1942, Benny Goodman and his Orchestra first played in Carnegie Hall.

I made my grand entrance in Carngie in 1963.  I didn't practice very much and as a matter fact can't play an instrument.  I did it the old fashion way, by buying a ticket.  It was a folk song night at Carnegie Hall.  I think quiet a few players from the early folk music entertained, but the only performer I remember was Johnny Cash, who I didn't think could be called a folk singer in any form or fashion.

A group from our Naval base in Lakehurst, New Jersey went up to see the folk music.  We were just getting to like folk type of music like Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Peter Paul, and Mary and so on.  We were still folk music appreaciator trainees, or folk music novices.  Johnny Cash billed as a folk singer?  That was very early in his career and I suppose was up for grabs to any genre that would take him.

Labels: , ,

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

2nd Admendment, Gives You the Right to Bear your Ass



I am not a lawyer and cannot comprehend the fine tuning of small print of complicated double-negative words and all.  I was under the impression that the 2nd Admendment gave people the right of to bear ams for a millitia.  Now, not only do they have the right to use them in a militia, which they never do, but it also gives them the right to go on wild shooting sprees in public schools, theaters, and other places whenever they want.  Of course, if they do kill people they will be punished unless, somehow they get a smart lawyer who can show that all those school kids or all those people in the theater was a threat to him, then the killer can claim self defense under the "Stand Your Own Ground Law".

Labels:

Monday, January 14, 2013

SHAMLESS Is Back




They are back.  They are shameless.  They have no morals.  They have no scruples.  But they stick together (mostly) as a family and that has to be admired.  I love to watch them because you never know what bizarre act they will do next in the name of survival.  Watching the sex is an extra bonus.

Pardon me?   Say you thought I was talking about the SHOWTIME series SHAMLESS? 

No, I was talking about my neighbors.

No, just joking, I was talking about the series.  It is great.

Labels:

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Takling It With You



Last night we went to the funeral home to pay our respects to our friend and his kin and view their late 99 year old mother lying in state. 

It was nice to see old friends and my friend's relatives who have surprisingly aged.  Don't they know they are suppose to stay the same until I see them next?

Viewing the lady in the casket I saw her pocketbook tucked in beside her.  I think they did that out of respect for her.  Like other women her age, she probably felt uncomfortable without her pocketbook.

It reminded of other societies where people were buried with their pets and if they were wealthy and powerful enough also buried with live servants.

Imagine my friend's mother's surpised when she arrived at the heavenly bliss when she opened her pocketbook and it was empty.

Saturday, January 12, 2013

The Fowl Houdini



A mother of a friend of mine died this week.  She would have been 100 years old in June.

I remember about a year ago the doctors beleived she only had a few days to live.  Hospice took over and she lived and lived.  After weeks of living under hospice care and not dying they sent her home.  Back home she returned to her diet of Dr. Peppers and lived another year.

I remember when we were teenagers she just didn't completely trust us.  Each time we returned from someplace she would question us on details.  She was afraid we were going to lead her son astray.   Wait!  It was the other way around, he led us astray.  He got us all smoking.  I remember he smoked Lucky Strikes.

My friend married his second wife and moved to south Georgia.  His bride had a house and property already.  There, in the rural countryside he decided he would raise some chickens.  He is a pretty good builder.  He built a chicken house and surrounded it with a fence that was escape proof, so he thought.

After he got the chickens there was one that would just not stay in the fence.  Everytime the chicken got out of the fence it made my friend very mad, and made the fence more escape proof.  But the chicken would find a way and get out again.  When I saw him more often I would ask him is that one chicken still getting out and that would throw him into a rage of cursing.  He hated that chicken but was not about to kill it and have him for dinner.     It had too much personality.

Today at the funeral home I plan to ask him about that chicken.

Thursday, January 10, 2013

National Step In A Pubble and Splash Your Friend Day


Yep, that is right.  Today is the National Step in a Puddle and Splash Your friend Day.

Here is what I found on Google:

Step in a Puddle and Splash Your Friend Day is celebrated on January 11th of each year. The staff at National Whatever Day were unable to discover the origin of Step in a Puddle and Splash Your Friend Day, however we believe it was established as a way to have a little fun with some friends on a rainy day.

The key word here is  friend.  I wouldn't advise doing it to someone you don't know and but want to get to know.


Wednesday, January 09, 2013

What Group Do You Look Down On?




I think this song pretty much explains why the world is what it is since the beginning.

Tuesday, January 08, 2013

Surprise!!!



My new gp called me today and told me I had gall stones.  He said he finally got a report of the ultrasound I had last week.

I was surprised.  Not because I have gall stones but because an MD called me on the phone.

In the past all the doctors I have delt with the doctor would have a subordinate to call me.  Not this new doctor, he called ME.  He probably even had the lowly manual task of dialing my phone too.

That is one of the things I like about this new doctor, he is not afraid to get his hands dirty.

Monday, January 07, 2013

You Can't Fight City Hall



I came in today and saw a notice on the door from the Water Department statiing that we could have a serious leak.  The told the number of gallons that went through the meter recently.

The notice said if I didn't correct it they, more or less , would cut off my water.

How can you fix a problem that an't there.  I left the water in the hose on or several weeks until I noticed it.  The hose vale was off but it was spraying water at the hydrant for weeks.  I cut it off last week.

Now, they came after the fact.  They came to see that the barn door was closed after the horses got out.

Sunday, January 06, 2013

Checking Out the movie 10 YEARS.



10 YEARS is a movie about a high school class 10th reunion and all the deep feelings involved which attract some people to reunions and repell others.

It was directed and written by Jamie Linden and the base of the actors were from Thursday night sitcoms.

It is the interaction of a large group of people, almost 30 years old, that are getting a firm foot in the door of their chosen professions.  

One guy was a bully in high school and now apparently an immature lush who felt the need to seek out all the boys he picked on and apologize.  I didn't hear it mention but that sounds like a step of the 12 step program.  He becomes a bully again, sort of, chasing people around to apologize to people that don't want anything to do with him.

One girl in high school was known as a party girl, or par-tee girl, a good time girl, a fun time girl.  She arrived at the reunion dressed sexy like she would have high school.  She flirted around the boys like she would in high school.  She went home alone.  Two boys that had a crush on her back then followed her home.  She  lived in the same house she grew up in.  They did the immature thing and rolled her house in toilet paper, just like they would have in high school.

A romance was rekindled of two people happily married until they both had a dose of reality.

The movie wasn't that bad.  Or that terrible.  Some deep profound thoughts went into it.

Labels:

Saturday, January 05, 2013

What Th...?




I just read a Facebook post from my neice in-law.  She was having a fit because she said Obama was raising her taxes but not raising the taxes on the poor and the filthy rich.  And anything agreed upon had to be agreed on my a Republican controlled congress.

Maybe I slept throught something.

I thought the "cliff" talks and agreements they finally agreed to raise the taxes on the rich.  I think she misread something or some publication fed her a line.   And as far as raising the tax of the poor - what good would that do?  It doesn't matter if they they raise the poor's income taxes 10% or 50%.  50% of nothing is still nothing.

Friday, January 04, 2013

My Weight Control App



Have you noticed that when you walk into a big store in January of any year exercise, weight control, and file management items are all arranged to grab your attention.  They know what your New Years Resolutions are and they want a peice of the action, so to speak.

When I woke up January the first, right after I emptied my bladder I weighed and recorded it.

Then I brought up an app on my i-pad on exercise and and eating.  I found out from experience any time I want to lose weight I need to vow to myself that I am going to record everything I eat.

And, being the lazy sort of person I am, I don't like to record much, so if I am honest with myself, I don't record it because I don't eat it.  And, beleive it or not I start shedding weight.

This free app  is named MY FITNESS PAL.  I think if you are honest with it you will lose weight.  I has a weight section to record your weight as often as you feel you need to.  Weight Watchers beleive weekly is good.  I like to do mine daily unless I pigged out, then I skip a couple of days to catch up with myself.  It also has a section for exercsie, you record any type of exercise you do and it calculates how many calories you burned and allows you that much more intake of calories per day.

I forgot to mention, it asks what are your goals, how much you want to lose by when.  Then it suggests how much calorie intake a day you need to have you lose it.  And it keeps a running total daily just how well you are doing.  It also has nutrition facts such as how much protein, carbs, etc, that you intaking but honestly, I haven't paid those numbers any attention.  I am a bottom line kind of person.

Thursday, January 03, 2013

2013 Is Not Starting Off Very Lucky



Hang on.  We have been very busy since the first of the year.  We thought we were going to have a relaxing day January the 1st and WHAM!  Our pressure cooker literally flipped its lid, or the little metal weight, and shot black-eye pea slime all over our kitchen ceiling and cabinets.  We spent NewYears Day cleaning up the mess all but the ceiling, which we couldn't get it to come off, I think it is because of the rough bumpy ceiling paint.  So, we will have to paint over it.

While that was going on, getting cleaning compounds in and out from under the sink we discovered or dislodged a pipe which I can't get screwed back on, it feels tight but I give it another tug for good luck and it pops back off every time.

I had a ultrasound yesterday and it revealed I have gall stones.  The gall of it all!  So, that is anothing thing to take care of in the near future.

Also yesterday we smell a dead animal in a space that the den addition roof left.  It is impossible to get to it.  We will just have to wait that one out.

I also signed up for Ancestry.com and am already finding out some things I didn't know about my great grandfather William A. Hunter.  A few years ago I copied a journal that a lady from the Westmoreland and Durham family kept.  It just so happened that one of William's twin sons married into the Westomoreland family.  I noticed on the journal I copied "Mr. Hunter" was mention frequently, like when he fell out of a loft and so on.  I thought it was unusual for them to keep up with the Hunters, living almost 8 miles away.  On the 1920 Census I discovered that a James Durham, 86, and his daughter Kate P. Durham, 39, lived with William and Emaline.  I wonder why?