Betty’s Week

Life on the farm is still great, but I’m getting excited about the prospect of going home. Pictures of the bathroom renovation seem to be showing progress, and I’m in my last three weeks of chemo. So far this series has gone smoother. Have slept much better, and pain has been almost non existent – that’s a big plus. This three-week session will end on July 21, then on the 22nd I will have blood tests and a PET scan. I visit Dr. Yates on the 23rd and then see where we go from there – will let you know.

On the farm the calves are almost as large as their moms, both have lots of grass to feed on in the pasture, as there has been plenty of rain and sun. Main problem the farmers are having now is that the rain and sun schedule is causing them to not get the grass cut and dried in the time-frame it takes to get it bailed and stored. Maybe this will shape up before the grass gets too tough

One big plus for the  farm life is that we’ve been getting lots of delicious fresh produce. Bo has been sharing lots of tomatoes and peppers. BLTs have been a lunch staple for a few weeks now, and they are delicious. Fresh squash and cabbage have been coming from the Cole garden. Squash has been fried and sautéd, with cabbage being fried and used for great cole slaw. We also had fresh green beans, not only enough for a mess for dinner, but also some to get into the freezer. Was so much fun to once again snap beans while watching TV. 

Beans came from Bubba and Jennifer Karr. Bubba was a long time neighbor on Clay Street and a classmate of Jim’s. Jennifer is the daughter of one of my classmates, the late Yvonne Cannon Brown. Her father is Robert Brown, who owns the seed and feed in Batesville where some of you have shopped. He was one year ahead of me in school. We did enjoy the green beans and thank you so much for thinking of us.

One thing I do miss on the farm is getting to see the Herald in a timely manner. After I came to Bill’s and Jimmie’s, Jim was not coming over sometimes for several days after press day, so David put us on the mailing list. We usually get the paper on either Thursday or Friday, but occasionally it takes a week or more. I’ve always read ever word in the paper before it goes to press–I was the proof reader and hope to someday resume this position. I know I’m not the best person for this job, but I do like being ahead of the game on knowing all the news. 

Got to thinking about the difference in papers and paper delivery in my early days at the  Herald and now. When I came to work at the paper, we received, delivered to the office  each day,–two dailies in the morning, the Memphis Commercial Appeal and the Jackson Daily; and two in the evening, the Memphis Press-Scimitar and the Jackson Clarion Ledger. All four were large papers, carrying all the hard news, full obituaries, wedding announcements and write-ups, a huge classified section, and a lot of display advertisements. 

This was the heyday of newspapers. And yes, we took time to read most of these papers – papers kept us informed much more than TV and social media and it was much more accurate.

Fourth of July activities began Saturday night. Caroline and Bill joined other family members and friends at the Cole Family Cabin for a fireworks show. Must have been fun because they were out until late into the night. Jimmie and I stayed home and watched the movie, “No Island in the Sky.” 

I thought the name was “No Highway in the Sky,” but got corrected. Starring were two of my favorite actors, John Wayne and James Arness. It was a very entertaining show, even though it was scary – I feared for the safety of both men on the ground freezing and those in the sky with the possibility that they’d run our of gas or get lost.

On Sunday, Jimmie served the classic Fourth meal – barbecue, cole slaw, baked beans and potato salad. Carolyn made deviled eggs and brought corn on the cob. For dessert we had home-made ice cream and caramel cake. Was delicious and we all ate way too much. 

They tell  you not to lose weight while fighting cancer – you can probably tell that I’m not having any trouble with this instruction. We lost Caroline to her parents when they went home Sunday afternoon. The excitement of attending a large community fireworks display later that night in her hometown, Amory, just seemed more exciting than Bill, Jimmie, and me. However, she did inform us that she’d be back later in the week – it’s going to be really dull around here until then.

Enjoyed a long visit with Wanda and Bud McCluskey, via phone, on Friday. It’s wonderful that friends keep me up to date on what’s going on in the Valley – I do enjoy the visits, both in-person and on the phone.

As always, thank all of you for your prayers, calls, cards and letters. They make my days so much brighter.