Maxine's Journal

Tommy told us last Sat. that he had a presentation to make at Heritage Towers–an assisted living unit across from where Sears was years ago, so he couldn’t go to yard sales. Well, Fred had to work Sat. and Sunday so he couldn’t go either. I asked, tongue in cheek, if Richard wanted to go, but he didn’t so that left me with no yard sale buddies. So, I slept until 6:30 instead of 5:45.

I needed to go buy some birthday bags for Kerri’s baby’s presents so I did that early because Wrenn Yeatts had a funeral at 1PM with visitation starting at 11AM. However, folks started coming a lot earlier than that! Good thing I went and got back in early.

I’d already asked Teresa to go with me to the B’day party so I picked her up at 2 and we rode up there. I never saw so many folks in my life! Lots of kids Brittany’s age; just two other babies–one my blue eyed daughter’s grandbaby which makes me a great G’ma again. And a lil 8 month old girl. Also was introduced to some tall guy as Keister’s mother. I asked him if he was in the rescue squad with him, but he said he’d done some taxes for Keister and the funeral home. Also saw some other folks that I ought to know, but didn’t. I’d seen some of them somewhere, just don’t know where. Maybe at yard sales??

We came back by Lowes to get a flapper for the upstairs bathroom at Teresa’s house and we spent a goodly amount of time looking at the gorgeous flowers. They had so many and were still bringing them in by the tractor thingy. Lots of hibiscus, rose moss, verbena, petunias, geraniums and the most beautiful hanging baskets of mixed flowers. So pretty!! Made me wish my deck was bigger.

Came home, did laundry and then fixed a lil bite of supper and have been playing Words with Friends on and off. Oh, when I was in Penneys yesterday I decided I’d look for a top to wear to church with a nice pair of dress pants that I’d never worn because I didn’t have a top to match. I wandered around the ladies dept. and found the perfect color top–with the exact shade of misty blue and pulled it out AND it was a maternity top!!! Didn’t buy that!!

Got up and went to church Sunday . Pastor’s son in law was guest speaker and had a good message and ended right at noon. Fred had asked me out to eat, but with three people waiting at home and more to come, I asked for a rain check.

Hadn’t been home long when Emily called from work and wanted to know if I wanted some lettuce for salad. I told her to bring it and I made a fresh bottle of salad dressing. Then I decided that if we were going to have something to eat, I’d better look around and find something since I’d told everybody that I was NOT going to cook yesterday. So, into the freezer and fridge looking for something filling. I found a big box of jumbo corndogs and a pack of wieners that I stuffed with mashed potatoes and sharp cheese. Emily and I made the salad; Sarah called looking for a ride down; picked her up; finished the tea; found paper plates and bowls and that was dinner. Everybody had plenty to eat and there was one wiener and one corndog left.

Today Kerri called and she came by and brought Brittany and Brooklyn and a beautiful card. They stayed a while and Brittany ate dill pickles and olives and freeze pops and we played tic, tac, toe. Then the baby got tired and they left.

Well, Fred didn’t have to work today so he got to go to yard sales with us. Also, Josh, Tami’s son, was playing baseball at Hooker field in Martinsville yesterday evening and we went to see him play. He pitched about 7 !/2 innings and their team won Then today we got an early start and found a bunch of stuff–things Teresa had asked me to look for and some stuff for a DJ at WBTM.
But, first I have to tell you about the condition of Tommy S. He, somehow had his hip bone pop out of joint and had been to the doctor about that and was in considerable pain and in addition to pain medication he was also taking a diuretic which meant FPS. Frequent pee stop, for the ones who don’t know. But, he soldiered on!

Went to one yard sale off Berry Hill road that covered about two city blocks. Had more old, old junk than you’d believe. We didn’t buy anything, just looked. But, a couple of estate sales on Third Ave. had some pretty interesting stuff. One of them had about six complete sets of china in the kitchen cabinets. Also, a lot of dolls–even one Shirley Temple doll. Anyway, that’s about it for yard sales. Tommy made 7 and 1/2 Uueeys and we got home about noon.

Tommy, the G’son, came up Thursday and after Chad got out of school Friday, we picked him up and they’ve been holed up in the den with their computers, Xbox, sodas and chips ever since. But, we did get them out of the house today! Went to Sheetz to get gas in my car and Tommy drove from there to Miller in Eden. He has his learner’s permit and I’d let him drive from Richard’s house yesterday so I was pretty comfortable with his driving ability. We went to the Eden Flea market and then to WalMart in Eden. Then back home and Tommy cooked steak and I made tea and baked potatoes; then cleaned up the dishes and Fred and I went to Food Lion to buy peanut butter, but he ended up buying some stuff for his lunch next week.

When it was going on it seemed like a very busy weekend, but writing about it, it seems kinda blah! But, good news!! Richard is going to be a G’pa come November. Ashley sent him a card and announced the news and also sent a picture(sonogram) of the wee one. So, that’s the exciting part!!

Tommy called me last night and said that he reckoned we wouldn’t go to yard sales cause he didn’t think there were any. I knew he was kidding cause I had about 15 on my list just from the paper and Trading Post. Then he laughed and said he had over 40 on their list and they would be here at 7AM Well, they came and we set off. Didn’t buy anything at the first one, but actually found some of the things I had been asked to look for. A small bacon griddle for the microwave and a temperature fork for Fred; a snuggie for his lil dog and a few things for me. Of course, my most prized buy, a Gaither reunion cassette tape was found to be broken when I put it into my car player. I put it in–it came right back out. I turned it and put it in again and it rejected it again. I brought it into the house and looked and the tape part was torn. So, into the trash. Also a cute lil lamp that the guy vowed would work. But, I did keep the shade. But, everything else was great.

The boys bought VHS tapes, CDs and DVDs and Richard even bought something.There were a couple of highly advertised sales today–the Junior Wed, Club at the old Marshalls location, which was set up in a very orderly fashion and had a long line waiting to go in before the staring time of 8AM. I didn’t see anything i couldn’t live without at that one. Also, the Humane society had a big sale in the community room of the Community market. They had a lot of stuff, both for humans and for doggies. that’s where I bought the snuggie for Kinley Coe.

One guy had a stack of new sliding screens that are meant to be used in the bottom of a window, but I’ve found they are perfect to put in the door way to keep Chopper where I want him. I bought one for the upstairs hall window and the guy told me after I got that one that i could have had all 7 for $5. But, I didn’t really need that many. There were a lot of pop ups and a lot that were just carry overs from last week. We quit at noon and hadn’t even gone close to the ones on 41. So, I don’t know what we missed out on there. However, the last one we went to on Hamlin was at the home of a former Wrenn Yeatts employee. We talked and caught up on what’s been going on and I was talking to his wife and Tommy was talking to him and he looked at Tommy and asked, “Are you Keister’s brother?” I hollered and told him he was trying to make me older than I was and Tommy looked back at me and said, “Come on,Mama.”

Well, in spite of having another kid (which means I’ve got a few more G’kids, too) we had a wonderful time and Tommy only did 4 1/2 Uueeys. Then, after I got home I made some soup out of leftover beef from last Sunday and then Fred came and we went to eat supper and then to Food Lion, Dollar General and old Dutch where he stocked up on lunch stuff for next week. All in all a long, busy day and now I’m going out to see if that tremendous full moon I read about this morning has come up. Good Night, Moon.

The weather man had promised rain after midnight Friday night and clouds and showers for Saturday. However, it didn’t rain and while it was cloudy and cool to start, the sun did peek out several times as we made our way to the yard sales.

The first five or six were kind of blah, but we finally did hit some that had good stuff. I bought one of those shake and light flashlights, a nice lil kitchen knife, a shirt and a new sleep top, a pan with a lid for Fred, a cut glass deviled egg dish, and several other items and didn’t spend but about $3! After the one with the over priced Mexican lady, we found some who wanted to get rid of their stuff. Tommy and Danny bought some VHS tapes and movies and I don’t remember if Richard bought anything or not. He did look at two more Christmas trees, but didn’t but them. And, Tommy set a record for Ueeys. 10 1/2!!

Fred had to work Saturday so he couldn’t go; but working on Sat. was better than what he’d heard when he went in last Monday. His boss told him they’d be working 7 days a week for the next 4 weeks! That’s a little too much of a good thing, I think. But, when he finally got up here Sat. evening he took me out to eat and we went shopping and picked up a few things. Then, today we went to church and had a really good Sunday School lesson. Our teacher was out last week on vacation and the pastor taught the class because we had a Gideon for the Sunday morning service. However, the pastor was out of town today and had asked my SS teacher to preach in the 11AM service. But, no one had made any plans for the SS class. Larry (the SS teacher) finally got up and sort of winged it with help from some of us who like to talk and it was one of the best SS lessons we’ve had in a long time. Then he delivered an outstanding message in the 11AM service. Afterwards I told him that we were going to call him Apostle Larry like they do the preachers in the black churches.

After dinner today Fred and I went to Sheetz to get gas and that place was packed with motorcycles. I tried counting them; but I got to 25 and they were still coming in like they were having a rally. Then we went to Big Lots and Piggly Wiggly where he bought some food for his lunch this week.

Christmas Emily gave Fred 10 lottery tickets. He let me scratch half of them and we won about $3. He added another dollar and turned those in and got 4 more. We scratched them and won enough to get 4 more and the next week he took those and turned them in for 4 more tickets. That time we each scratched half and I scratched off one worth $50. That time he got $40 (that we split) and ten tickets. Anyway, he’s still scratching on those tickets that started
Christmas. Right now we have $5 more he’ll turn in next time he comes up. That was a Christmas gift that just keeps on giving!

Well, guess that’s about it. Fred just called and said he was home and was fixing his lunch for tomorrow and then was going to bed. 5:30 comes early!!

Forget to say that while we were yard saling somebody told us about one at the Episcopal Church on the corner of 41 and Ridgecrest Dr. that was being held to benefit some student group at DCC. They had a lot of books, but I mostly read on my Kindle now; they also had a bunch of cute tops for skinny lil teens; also had a few guys pants and tee shirts. But, what caught my eye more than anything else were the thongs! Yep!! Lightly used thongs–black lace, red lace, white lace, multiprint with flowers and designs. BUT—-used thongs??? Of course, the boys made a lot of jokes about those before we finally quit and went home.

Got up early; Tommy and the boys were here at 7AM for yard sales. Didn’t have many and most of those were crummy or else so expensive that we just looked and backed off. I mean, $5 for a casserole dish that normal sales would have for 50 cents or a dollar. I’m the only one that bought anything and I only spent 75 cents! Got two piggys for B.J. at Stateline cause she collects pigs in assorted forms.

We got home by 10AM and I fixed breakfast for Fred, Susan and me and then cleaned up the dishes and Fred and I went to WalMart and bought some necessities, like toilet paper and piddle pads for Chopper. Then we went to K Mart but their geraniums cost too much so we went to Lowes and got 9 for less than what 3 cost at K Mart. Also went to Sears, Tractor Supply and Dollar General looking for a whet rock for Fred. Those suckers are hard to find. Oh, after they ordered him one at Sears we found one at Lowes. Then we hit the north side of town and went to Ollies, the pet store and Big Lots and Radio Shack. Had fun and bought a few things.

When we got home again Susan said that Sarah was going to the junior prom and she came by all dressed up in a gorgeous very light burgandy color strapless gown and when I asked to see her shoes, she pulled it up a tad and lo and behold; She Was wearing Ashley Shoes! Really high, strappy, sparkly shoes that I couldn’t even walk in and she was going to a dance in them. She looked so pretty that I cried. I couldn’t help it. I don’t think I’d seen her in a dress since she was a baby. She sure “cleaned up good” as Tommy S. would say.

About 7 this evening, after I had planted my flowers, we ran over to Eden to Fred’s house to pick up something that he forgot to bring when he came and the minute we left it started raining. I forgot to say that after eating and before Eden, we cleaned out Fred’s truck. I took a trash bag and a little broom and dust pan and he started on one side and I started on the other and we cleaned that truck up on the inside. It looks so good now. I don’t think I’d ever seen it looking this good cause things just seem to migrate to the truck and then find a home there. Also found two quarters while cleaning that are going into my tip jar.

Well, that’s about it for now; Had fun at the yard sales even tho they weren’t that great, the company was hilarious as usual. Tommy did three Uueeys and a part of one. Maybe next week will be better.

Saturday started out early. Tommy, Richard and Danny picked us up at 7:15 or thereabouts. I had a list that I’d heard on Trading Post and saw in the paper and they had their list from Piedmont Shopper. Wasn’t looking for anything in particular for me, but Fred was looking for an electric can opener that sits on the counter. But, we got some good buys.

I found a new screen room divider to keep Chopper out of the den (he has a bad habit of cocking his leg up and peeing on the sofa); a nice net book bag that I gave to Emily’s boy friend; a china glass holder for eyeglasses; some books for Virgie, a lady at church; some other stuff–can’t even remember what, but it was all good. Fred found his can opener and got two almost full packs of piddle pads for his dog for 50 cents. He also got a DVD player with remote for $2. All in all, a very good day but Tommy only made about 3 Uueeys.

After we came home and unloaded our stuff and used the bathroom we went to Stateline to eat lunch. The first people I saw after we got in was Tommy, Richard and Danny sitting there stuffing their faces. We took the table next to them and had a nice lunch. Of course, I ate my favorite: confetti!! Then we went to Old Dutch so I could pick up a few groceries and Fred could pick up some items for his lunch this week.

It has been so warm that I finally planted my tomatoes yesterday; then it got much cooler during the night, but not freezing cold. Then I decided I’d put my winter pjs and shirts away and get out a few warm weather ones. During the course of opening drawers in my room I came across a lot of shirts that I hadn’t worn in a couple of years so now I have a stack of clothes in my floor that I’m going to take to Goodwill. I still have a couple more trunks and drawers to go through and a couple of closets to check out. But, maybe I’ll have nice neat drawers and closets when I get finished.

For Easter I had a nice ham and after all the meat was cut off, I had a very nice ham bone left. Cindy had sent me a recipe for ham bone chowder and I made it Monday. It was pretty good; I sort of changed the recipe a little and didn’t add as much grated cheddar as it called for; I decided to add some and add the rest when I reheated it whenever I ate a bowl. I told my pastor’s wife about it and I’m going to take her some to church tonight cause she was really interested in it; as was the pastor. If she likes it, I’ll give her the revised recipe.

Well, I thought I had a lot to write about, but as soon as I got my journal working again; my mind went blank!! But, at one yard sale we saw a table full of Ashley type shoes–about 15 pairs–but, alas; they were 9 1/2s. Way too big!!

Rebecca just called because she couldn’t find her binder with ALL her notes for school. She’d already called Ginny and she couldn’t find it. I searched her room and even looked under the bed, but couldn’t find it either. Hopefully, it’s in her car under some of that stuff she keeps in it. Good luck, Rebecca!

Tommy, Richard and Danny are at Wrightsville Beach this week and they all posted pictures of the ocean which I promptly stole and put on my FB. I haven’t seen the ocean in about 5 years now. Some way, I’m gonna get to some beach this summer. So, if you see some old lady with a pack on her back hitch-hiking; it just might be me!

Today the sun is shining and it looks so pretty out there, but it’s kinda cool. But, by the weekend, just in time for yard sales, it’s supposed to be up to 76 on Sat. and 84 on Sunday. Can’t wait for the warm!!

I’m listening to Trading Post and a guy from Florida just listed some items. Maybe Ashley can call from Washington state and sell some stuff! Just joking!!

I might have forgotten to mention my “boy cave” in one of the previous posts. Tommy was here from March 30th to Easter Sunday. He spent all his time in the den/boy cave except when he was in the bathroom or going out somewhere with Chad. After he left, I spent two hours or more cleaning it up. I filled a garbage bag plumb full of candy wrappers, chip bags, freeze pop wrappers, etc.. But, know what? I really miss him so much!! Wish he was here instead of in school. Speaking of Tommy, he’s going on that Westward Teen thing that Rebecca went on a few years back. And, he does go to Washington state on part of the trip.
Well, my egg seems to be boiled; guess I’ll eat and get started on this mess. Yall all have a wonderful day!

Last Sat. we got a late start–7:45 because most of the sales started at 8AM. It was kind of cool to start, but it warmed up as the day progressed. Of course, the cold blooded Craigs were the last to shed their jackets. At the very first sale, which was outside, Fred spotted a folding clothes rack and grabbed it. Only a dollar. I think several of us bought things there. I found a watch there for a dollar that didn’t run, but it had a nice leather band on it and that’s what I needed. Then on to the others.

Tommy only made 11 1/2 Uueeys. But, that might be a record. We went to Westover, 41 and off 41 and I found a pair of Reeboks in my size for a quarter–freshly washed, too. Found some other stuff; had fun and can’t wait for this week. A giant indoor sale at Westover Rec. center.