Reclaimed Memories

e had lots of visitors from out of sure. My nephews, Bob Mills and David Clinton, came from Ohio, with their ladies: Melvin and Verdie Huffman, members of the Mt. Valley Church; Eleanor and Perry Cooper from Pennsylvania; James and Viola Mollendick from West Virginia; Kenneth and Jane Reid, from Waynesboro; Mary Ellen Simmons from Singers Glen. All were here in January of 1988.

We always had several visits with Beulah and Buddy each year. They would come here or we would go to Eustis every few weeks. Zelda and Blossom did not come until February 22nd. I believe they were late coming because of Blossom's surgery. Bland's wife, Helen, came along with them.

I had dinner for the girls, Beulah, Buddy and Frank Clinton and his wife on February 24th. Frank is Buddy's brother. They were visiting from California.

As soon as work was completed on the tool house we began to fix the little room at the end of the carport into a little office for me. We insulated, paneled the walls, put in indirect lighting and carpeted the floor. A desk was built across the west side and I was in business! I have enjoyed it immensely! It took Troy and me two months to do the work and we finished just before going north on April 18th. This was the last carpenter work Troy was able to do.

Troy thought he was going to plant the usual garden when we got to the Glen, but I talked him out of it. He was able to care for the lawn and he planted tomatoes, mango peppers and cantaloupes. That was the extent of our garden.

Roy Hinkle, a neighbor, died the last of August. We bought his car from his daughter. Our plans then were to leave that car in the Glen, drive our car to Florida and leave it there. With a car to use in both locations we could then fly back and forth or some member of the family could drive us up and back. But Troy had a light stroke while working on the back lot. A brain scan showed he had had two light strokes. We knew he had one while we were in Winter Park and I feel sure the second one happened just before we had the scan. I knew then that it was time to think of selling at Singers Glen and settling permanently closer to our sons.

For the last time we drove ourselves alone to Florida leaving on October 17th. We arrived in Sharpes early the next afternoon. Hilda came over immediately to tell us that Dottie had passed away at 1:30 am. that morning.

Heather and Mike came with the four children the day we got to Sharpes. They were all here two nights. Dottie's memorial service was on the 19th and they went back home the next day.

The Brady Trilogy  I  Reclaimed Memories - (1991)  I  Pop Troy's Anthology - ( 1992)  I  Kinfolk - (1994)