August 30, 1980 Aunt Estelle wrote

Saturday  Fair  hot  to shower by night.  I cooked some and swept the floors.  Didn't feel so good.  Reba was in.  Jake Parsons stopped on their way to church.  We went to church. 



Footnote:  Reba is her sister-in-law, sister to her husband, Millard.  Reba lives nearby.  Jake Parsons is their neighbor and fellow church member. 


Update on my Labor day weekend.  It appears now that I have been talked into going camping with this group.   I did this once before and had a good time.  Sometimes Max gets over being on the pontoon and wants to go back to the campsite so he can play on the computer.  I will go to take care of him if he wants to leave.  I get tired of the pontoon, all the kids and noise  too,  so it works for both of us.    The camper is all packed and we will leave about noon.   I will give you a report as things move along.  Hope you all have a safe and happy weekend.  

August 29, 1980 Aunt Estelle wrote

Friday 1980    Fair hot until late. We had a little shower.  Jennings & I went to Kingsport, me to see the Dr. and to take his tape player.  We visited Gray Kelly at the hospital.  To church tonite to hear Jessie Buell in our week end revival 


Footnote:  Jennings is her brother and he must have a tape player - remember those?   Gray Kelly is a neighbor of hers and he has had surgery.  I am thinking Jessie Buell is a preacher.  


Nice day here - a little warm.  Yesterday it was 92 - the hottest day we have had this summer.   Hope, Rachel's daughter is in the third grade this year and her classroom is on the second floor of an unairconditioned building.  She is suffering from the heat as she doesn't even wear socks in the dead of winter.  She got all new long jeans for back to school and she has dug out her old knit shorts to wear right now.   Don't blame her. 
Max is doing fine in school and his favorite saying is:  "school is fantastic - NO HOMEWORK".   Leah, Kenny & Max are going camping at Laurel Lake (near London, Ky.)  this weekend.  They will drive the camper with the dogs. Leslie is going Sat. with a new boyfriend.  Kenny's daughter Amanda will go with her fiancé and his three children.  They will pull Leah's pontoon.     Kenny has 2 brothers and 2 sisters and they are all going and all their children and grandchildren.  Where do you think I will be???  I am going to my house to spend the weekend in the QUIET!!!  They do have a great time and I have gone with them before, but Amanda has added 4 people to the pontoon and it is just too many people.     Hope you all have a good Labor Day weekend wherever you will be.   

August 28, 1980 Aunt Estelle wrote

Thurs. 1980  Fair hot.  Cool at morning.  I washed, made cushaw pies and cooked dinner.   Jennings ate with us.  Roy was in.  I went up to church house and helped some.  Went over to Mrs. Grahams awhile.  Richard Shuler's had a baby boy today. 


Footnote:  Jennings is her brother who lives nearby and his wife has just passed away so I'm sure he is lonely plus Aunt Estelle liked to feed people.  Roy is her brother-in-law, married to her sister Edith.  Mrs. Graham is a neighbor who lives near the church.  I think her husband has just passed away.  Richard Shuler is the oldest son of her good friend and cousin, Virginia Shuler.  Virginia lives nearby but Richard is in the Marines and I think they lived in North Carolina at that time.    Richard and Shirley later had a daughter and another son.  They are all very nice looking children (adults now) and I saw them at Aunt Virginia's funeral about 2 years ago.  

August 27, 1980 Aunt Estelle wrote

Wed. 1980   Fair Hot,  I finished digging potatoes.  Got corn for dinner.  Went up to fellowship hall and worked awhile, went out to Radious a minute.  To Prayer meeting tonite,  Gray Kelly had surgery for tumor. 


Footnote:  Radious is a cousin who lives near the church.  Gray Kelly is a neighbor and fellow church member.   Liked to have had some of those new potatoes and good corn. 

August 26, 1980 Aunt Estelle wrote

Tuesday. 1980  Fair hot   I took Aunt Rosalee to grocery store.  Later went to Appa for specials at Cas Walkers.   Betty Ramey, Lizzie, Maudie Ellen, Jennings, Francis Ratliffe, Roy & Edith were all here. 


Footnote:  Aunt Rosalee is married to Millard Baker who is a half-brother to Estelle's mother, Lula Baker Reasor.  Millard is almost blind and can't drive.   Appalachia is a coal-mining town about 10 miles from her home.  Cas Walkers is a grocery store.   Betty Ramey, Lizzie and Maudie Ellen are all neighbors of hers.  Jennings is her brother.  Frances Ratliffe is her neice by marriage.  She is the daughter of Millard's  (her husband ) brother.    Edith is her sister and Roy is her husband.  They live in Big Stone Gap, Va.  about 9 miles away.   

August 25, 1980 Aunt Estelle wrote

Monday.  Fair not quite so hot   1980   Jennings & I dug some potatoes, and gathered some corn for his freezer.  He didn't feel so good so went to the Dr.  He stopped in a minute.  I went for milk and stoped down at Fraley's & talked to Dewey & Estil Russell awhile. 


Footnote:  Jennings is her brother and he lives nearby.  I am not sure where Fraleys was - I think it was some sort of store.  I remember the name Dewey Russell but I don't know anything about them.  I think they lived around her somewhere. 


It is Sunday morning here and I am waiting for Max to get up so we can go to the flea market.  He loves yard sales and thinks he gets better deals.  He thinks the flea markets are too expensive  but he has agreed to go with me today.  The weather looks nice today but it is supposed to get warm this afternoon.   We had a very nice shower for Amanda yesterday.  The room looked so nice all decorated and she got some really nice gifts.  Rachel made her one of her special bowls and it was very colorful and big.  She loved the Christmas stockings.  She got monogramed towels which were nice too.   The whole family will be going camping next Friday for the weekend - not me.  Kenny's family (Leah's husband) is big, loud and they are all going.  They have campers and tents.  I did this once with them and I think that was enough.  They have a great time with their boats and all the water activities.   So I am going home. I will be taking my sewing machine and see if I can get some things finished.  Too many distractions here.   I am planning to be in a show on Oct. 6 and it has always been one of my best - here in Cincinnati.  So I have to get some things finished.  Hope things are good with all you guys who are reading this blog.  There are a lot of you and I love it. 

August 24, 1980 Aunt Estelle wrote

Sunday, Fair hot. 1980     Janice, Wendi & Jennings eat lunch with us.  We layed around  all evening.  To church tonite. 


Footnote:  Janice is her daughter and Wendi is her granddaughter.    Jennings is her brother.  Sure looks like a lazy Sunday - just the kind I like, but very unlike her.   

August 23, 1980 Aunt Estelle wrote

Sat.  Fair hot to cloudy hot.  1980   I washed towels.  Visited Pearl a while this eve.  Made a few yard sales.  Later Millard & I rode to Big Stone, got a car wash and out to Janice a minute.  Jennings was in late. 


Footnote:  Pearl Barkley is her cousin and she lives about 6 miles away.  She has had a stroke.   Millard is her husband.  Big Stone is a town about 9 miles away.  Janice is her daughter who lives in Big Stone.  Jennings is her brother who lives nearby. 

August 22, 1980 Aunt Estelle wrote

Friday  1980    Fair hot.  I washed some bed clothes.  Went for milk & grapes.  I sewed some & mowed some. 



Footnote:  Sounds like a pretty quite day for her.  Must have been too hot to do much else.  I bet those grapes were good. 

Busy day here for me.  Leah, Leslie and I are having a bridal shower for Amanda (Leah's step-daughter and my step-granddaughter) on Saturday.  So lots of things to finish up for that.  I have finished the crazy-quilted Christmas stockings I made for her, her fiancé and his 3 children.  It has taken me quite a while to do that  but they are loaded with beads and stitching and look pretty good.  I may try to post some pictures if I can get the kids to help me.   Hope all is well with you all. 

August 21, 1980 Aunt Estelle wrote

Thursday 1980  Fair Hot.   Jennings, Millard & I went to Middlesboro early, was so hot Millard got sick so we had to leave shopping.  Come by Mr. Bull's & Gene Smiths.but no one home.  Went over to Curt's & Martha's on our way home. 



Footnote:  Jennings is her brother and Millard is her husband.  Middlesboro, Ky. is about 45 minutes away.   Millard probably didn't want to go shopping to start with.  Seems he got better as they headed for home and then she just had to stop and visit when she passed by someone she knows.  I don't know who Mr. Bull is or Gene Smith.  Friends of her.  Curt is her brother-in-law and Martha is his wife.  Not sure where they live but must be somewhere between home and Middlesboro. 

August 20, 1980 Aunt Estelle wrote

Wed.  1980    Cloudy, wet to a big rain before church time tonite.  Jennings ate lunch with us.  I sewed & washed some.  To prayer meeting tonite. 


Footnote:  Jennings is her brother who lives nearby.   

August 19, 1980 Aunt Estelle wrote

Tues. 1980   Foggy, cloudy finally a little rain.   I took Aunt Rosalee to grocery store, then went & cooked Jennings some dinner.  Roy & Edith come awhile.  I visited Mrs. Graham this eve & Millard & I went up to Hargus & Thelma's awhile late this evening. 


Footnote:  Aunt Rosalee is married to Millard Baker and he is the half-brother to Estelle's mother, Lula Baker.  They live nearby and Millard Baker is nearly blind and can't drive.  Jennings is her brother who lives nearby and his wife, Elizabeth, has passed away recently.    Edith is her sister and Roy is Edith's husband.  They live in Big Stone Gap, about 9 miles away.  Mrs. Graham is her neighbor and her husband has just passed away.   Hargus is her brother-in-law, brother to Millard (her husband).  Thelma is his wife.  They also live about 2 miles away.      She certainly had a busy day today and did a lot of good things for people.  We should all strive to do as much for others as she did. 

August 18, 1980 Aunt Estelle wrote

Monday,  cloudy hot.   Jennings & I worked his strawberries.  I dug 2 bushels potatoes.  picked 1/2 bushel cukes.  Went to the bank with our black lung check after dinner.  Down to Betty's for milk  & grapes.  Walked out to Sandra's a minute. 


Footnote:   Jennings is her brother and she is always doing things with him.  Looks like he could have helped her with the potatoes and cukes.   Betty is a neighbor.  Sandra is her niece, daughter of Everette, Estelle's youngest brother.  Sandra was living nearby. 

August 17, 1980 Aunt Estelle wrote

Sunday  Fair Hot.  Janice, Wendi & Jennings was here for lunch.  We went to Magic Mart a minute.  Claire Stiles & daughter come while we were gone.  David Brewer was ordained to preach tonite at the church,   Darrell Blair was one of the speakers.


Footnote:  Janice is her daughter and Wendi is her granddaughter.  Jennings is her brother.  Magic Mart is a general store about 8 miles away.  Don't know the Stiles family.  I have heard the name David Brewer but don't really know who he is. Darrell Blair was raised in the neighborhood and went to Dryden school with her children.   

August 16, 1980 Aunt Estelle wrote

Sat.  Fair Very hot.      I didn't feel good so didn't get much done.  Wanda Wheeler Bailey & Steven, Kay & Vicki come awhile.  I walked up to Jennings late and we all rode down to the cemetery awhile. 


Footnote:  I remember the name Wanda Wheeler but nothing about her.  I'm sure Rosemary, Redge and Janice would know something about her.   Jennings is her brother who lives within walking distance up the back road.   The cemetery is at Dryden and I think that is where they buried Aunt Elizabeth ( Jennings' wife).  

August 15, 1980 Aunt Estelle wrote

Friday,  Fair hot.    I washed, cooked dinner for Jennings.  We all went to Jack Shuler's funeral.  We visited Ralph Parsons & Texia afterwards.  Radious & Walter were down tonite. 


Footnote:  Jennings is her brother who lives nearby.  I do not know who Jack Shuler was.  My Daddy would have been able to tell us.  I don't know Ralph Parsons & Texia either.  Radious and Walter are her neighbors. 

August 14, 1980 Aunt Estelle wrote

Thurs. 1980   Fair, hot.  We took Wendi home about 11:00 o'clock.  Shopped a little.  Come by Edith's a while.  Janice & Wendi stayed all night with us because she was on call. 


Footnote:  Wendi is her granddaughter who lives about 9 miles away.  Edith is her sister who lives in Big Stone Gap.  Janice is her daughter and she works at the hospital - and still working there.  She must love her job!!!

August 13, 1980 Aunt Estelle wrote

Wed. 1980   Fair  very hot.   Wendi & I took Aunt Rosalee to grocery store.  I washed some.  Harvey Graham & family were in this eve.  Allso Jennings, Sue (?) Morefield Haskins.  To prayer meeting tonite. 


Footnote:  Wendi is her granddaughter and Aunt Rosalee is married to Millard Baker who is a half-brother to Estelle's mother, Lula Baker.  Harvey Graham is the son of her neighbor, Mac Graham, who just died.  I don't know where Harvey lives.  I loved to square dance with Harvey at the dances that were held in the gym at Dryden school.  Also the cake walks were fun too. Don't remember ever winning one of those beautiful cakes.     Jennings is her brother who lives nearby.  I am not sure if this name is Sue or something else, I can hardly read her writing sometime.  I remember there was a Morefield family in the neighborhood.  

August 12, 1980 Aunt Estelle wrote

Tues. Hot, clear.     I was up to Jennings early & late.  Went for milk and over to Va Shuler's.  This eve we went to Mac Graham's funeral.  Later I delivered a lot of dishes that was brought in. 


Footnote:  Jennings is her brother who lives up the road.  Virginia Shuler is her cousin, neighbor and good friend.  They shared all their books as they were both avid readers.  Mac Graham was a neighbor .   I wonder if those are empty dishes she is delivering back to the people who brought them to the house during the funeral.  Everybody would bring some kind of food to the home when a person in the house had passed away.  It was for all the family that was gathered.  And it was the best food you could get. 

August 11, 1980 Aunt Estelle wrote

Monday  1980    Hot fair to a shower tonite.     I picked the cucumbers, made some tomato juice, washed two loads of clothes.  Was up to Jennings twice.  Betty Ramey, Ralph & Lucille, Cora McGlinchy, Roy & Edith, Janice & Wendi were all here.  


Footnote:   Jennings is her brother and he lives just up the back road.  Betty Ramey is her neighbor and the place she gets milk.  Ralph and Lucille are visiting from Michigan.  Lucille is her sister and Ralph is Lucille's husband.  Don't know Cora.  Roy and Edith live in Big Stone and Edith is her sister and Roy is Edith's husband.   Janice is her daughter and Wendi is her granddaughter and they also live in Big Stone Gap - about 9 miles away.   

August 10, 1980 Aunt Estelle wrote

Sunday   Fair hot.  1980    We didn't go to church today.  Buried Elizabeth this evening.  Sure hard to give her up.  We all stayed up at Jennings a long time tonite.  Mr. Mac Graham died this morning. 



Footnote:  Elizabeth is her sister-in-law,  wife of Jennings.   Mac Graham is a neighbor and fellow church member. 

August 9, 1980 Aunt Estelle wrote

Sat. 1980  Fair Hot.  Lucille & Ralph come for lunch & stayed all nite.  We all went to funeral home this morn and tonite for visiting hours.  Lucille & Ralph stayed with us. 


Footnote:  Lucille is her sister and Ralph is Lucille's husband.  They live in Goodrich, Michigan and have driven to Deep Springs to be with the family after Elizabeth has died.  Jennings and Elizabeth lived in Flint, Michigan all their adult working life.  They were very close to Lucille & Ralph.  Jennings moved back to Virginia after he retired.   I think the funeral home must have been in Pennington - about 8 miles away.  

August 8, 1980 Aunt Estelle wrote

Friday 1980   Wore out tonite.  I washed some, cooked some.  Janice and I went to Penn. after she came from work.  Was up to Jennings 2 or 3 times. 


Footnote:  Janice is her daughter who lives and works in Big Stone Gap, 9 miles away.  Pennington Gap is a small town about 7 miles West of where she lives.  It is probably where they have Aunt Elizabeth who died August 7.  Jennings is her brother and the husband of Elizabeth.  I am sure she is tired from trying to cook for the family that will be gathering for the funeral. 

August 7, 1980 Aunt Estelle wrote

1980  3:30 Elizabeth died.  Thurs.  We were having a yard sale.  Jennings called Elizabeth was so sick.  Edith and I went to him.  Come home with him and done some things.  Curt & Martha come tonite. 


Footnote:  Elizabeth is her sister-in-law, the wife of Jennings - her brother.   Edith is her sister.  Curt is her brother-in-law or nephew, not sure as he is on the Ely side and I don't know much about the Ely side.    Elizabeth has been sick for quite a while - in and out of the hospital. 

August 6, 1980 Aunt Estelle wrote

Wed.  1980  Fair hot.   I washed, made tomato juice.  Jennings ate lunch with us.  Hilda & Linville Orick come in a minute after prayer meeting.  Elizabeth not feeling so good. 


Footnote:  Jennings is her brother who lives close by.  Hilda & Linville are neighbors and fellow church members.   Elizabeth is Jennings' wife and she is in the hospital still, I think. 

August 5, 1980 Aunt Estelle wrote

Tuesday  Fair, Hot to rain at nite.   Wendi & I took Aunt Rosalee to grocery store.  Heard Shorty Blair had committed suicide.  Stell Kelly & Tim were down.  Jennings was in more than once.  Elizabeth feeling better. 


Footnote:  Wendi is her granddaughter.  Aunt Rosalee Baker is the wife of Millard Baker.  He is the half-brother of Estelle's mother.  Shorty Blair must have been a neighborhood friend.  I don't remember him.  Stell Kelly is her good friend and fellow church member.  Don't remember a Tim - must have been a grandson.  Jennings is her brother who lives nearby and Elizabeth is his wife who is in the hospital. 

August 4, 1980 Aunt Estelle wrote

Monday 1980.   Fair Hot.   Rain by night.  We have Wendi.  I went up to Jennings and we did his laundry.   Elizabeth got real sick at noon and we got her to the hospital in the back of his car.  I was at the hospital 3 times.  She has her blood too thin and was bleeding and it had accumulated in her side. 



Footnote:  Wendi is her granddaughter.  Jennings is her brother who lives close by.  Elizabeth is his wife and is not doing so good.  She sure was a good sister to Jennings.


 Sure is another nice day here in Northern Kentucky.  Leah is busy showing and selling houses.  Rachel and Hope are coming over to spend the afternoon with me.  Leslie is at work at the Urgent Care in Florence.  She worked 13 hours yesterday so she was pretty tired when she got home at 10:30 last night.  Max, Leah and I hit a few yard sales yesterday.  Max found and bought a lot of stuffed animals that he collects.  He has hundreds in his room in the basement.    Kenny is building a barn in the back yard so he is working on that.  This family is always buo sy.  I will be dyeing some scarves today and finishing up a photo album cover for a bride.   Denny Shuler's daughter, Beth, is getting married in Oct. and I am making this album cover for her from me and Mother.  Have a good day to each of you who read this. 

August 3, 1980 Aunt Estelle wrote

Sunday  1980  Fair, hot to cloudy and cooly.    We hurried from church to fix Jennings some lunch.  Elizabeth doesn't feel too good. 


Footnote:  Jennings is her brother who she takes really good care of.  Elizabeth is his wife and she has been sick for about a month now.   Wish she had said what she fixed him - cornbread, beans, corn and tomatoes I bet.  All the good stuff from her garden.   I could eat that cornbread for breakfast. 


My note:   Well we had planned to go to yard sales today ( Max's favorite Sat. morning thing to do) but now it is raining.   So I will just have to sew.   Went to the dentist yesterday to have this broken tooth fixed.  Waiting to go in and Redge called to wish me happy birthday.  I told him I was at the dentist and he said did you take an antiobotic?  I didn't know I needed to do that .   So I asked the nurse and she said yes I would have to do that.  So I didn't even see the dentist, left and will have to go back Tue. after I take the antibiotic.     I did get to see Hope in her show, she has been in circus school all week and they learned how to do so many things - juggling, balancing a plate on a stick, walk a tight rope, jump rope and so many other things.  It was so cute - 15 kids at the YMCA.  I spent the rest of the day at my house and had dinner with Rachel.  It was a good day.  Hope you had a good day.  

August 2, 1980 Aunt Estelle wrote

Sat. 1980   Fair hot.  I washed and swept the floors.  We went up to Jennings a minute.  I walked over to Mrs. Orr's late. 


Footnote:    Jennings is her brother and Elizabeth, his wife, is sick.  Mrs. Orr is a neighbor who she checks on often. 


Another nice day here.  I am celebrating my birthday by going to the dentist.  I have a cracked tooth and I know it will cost a pretty penny to have that crack fixed.    Max and I had a great time yesterday.  I have never seen so many yard sales - just one after the other - and people were set up in the open fields where they rented space.  It was amazing and we covered only about 10 miles of the 690 mile yard sale.  Max got a back seat full of stuffed animals - his favorite, but he is very picky.  I didn't buy anything as I was really just watching him.    Ran into an old friend who deals in antiques and metal sculpture.  We talked for a few minutes and he asked if I was still dating - I didn't answer him as I noticed he didn't have a tooth in his head.   Just walk away from that.  

August 1, 1980 Aunt Estelle wrote

Friday  1980  Fair  hot to cloudy  windy & cooly..  I washed.  Went to the garden and fixed us all some corn to eat.  Wendi & I went for milk.  Edith, Roy, Leah & Rachel & Harold Shuler were all in a minute.  Elizabeth had a fainty spell this eve and scared us.  The preacher came in a minute. 


Footnote:  Wendi is her granddaughter.  Edith is her sister and Roy is Edith's husband.  Leah & Rachel are their granddaughters who are visiting from Cincinnati.  Harold Shuler is Roy's brother and Harold lives in the neighborhood.   Elizabeth is her sister-in-law (Jennings' wife) and they live nearby.  Elizabeth has been sick for awhile and is still not doing so well. 


Max and I are headed out to the world's longest yard sale.  It is 690 miles from Covington, Ky. to somewhere in Georgia I think.    We are driving down 71 toward Owenton and getting on 127 where they say we will find hundreds of yard sales.  Max loves to collect things and so do I.  Will let you know how we do.