April 30, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Thurs. 1981  Fair to a shower late.
I washed bed linen's & cooked.  Went to the garden and planted corn & beans, cucumbers & melons. 


Footnote:  OK all you wannabe farmers, it is time to plant your veggies and fruit.  Wish I had time to plant all those things so I could have fresh veggies in my back door.  I do have some herbs started - love basil, rosemary and dill.  I found a good receipe for baked salmon with dill rub.  It is delicious and the good part is the asparagus bakes in the oven at the same time as the salmon.  I just put a little olive oil in the baking dish and put the asparagus in, roll it around and bake it about 15 minutes.  So delicious.      I bet Stephen has his garden planted with some things already.    Nice day here.  I will be inside all day working on new dolls for the next show. 

April 29, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Wed.  1981  Fair  Coolish. 
I had to go to the store this morning.  Neither of us feel so good.  Gene & Val Lipps were in awhile.  Jennings and Sandra stopped a minute.  I mowed some this eve


Footnote:  Gene & Val Lipps are friends of hers.  Jennings is her brother and Sandra is her niece.  They both live nearby. 

April 28, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Tues.  1981  Fair warm.
I washed.  The men put up our awenings.  Millard & I went out to Lizzie's a minute.  Jennings, Roy and Reba were in.  Went for milk but Betty had quit selling. 


Footnote:  Millard is her husband and Lizzie Sturgill is her neighbor.  Lizzie must be out of the hospital now.  Jennings is her brother and Roy is her brother-in-law.  Reba is her sister-in-law.  Betty is the lady with milk cows.  Seems she is going out of the milk selling business.  That raw milk was the best.  

April 27, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Monday. 1981  80 degrees
Fair.  I didn't feel so good so didn't do much this morning.  Worked a while in the garden & sewed a little later.  Roy, Edith, Radious, Walter and Bro Zion were in a minute. 


Footnote:  Edith is her sister and Roy is Edith's husband.  Radious and Walter are neighbors.  Bro Zion is a preacher. 

April 26, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Sunday 1981  Fair and cool to warm.
I went to church.   Millard wasn't able.  Janice & Wendi were home.  Jennings, Roy, Edith, Travis & Lori, Reba & Maude & Ballard were in a minute.


Footnote:   Millard is her husband.  Janice is her daughter and Wendi is her granddaughter.  Jennings is her brother.  Roy is married to Edith who is her sister.  Travis & Lori are Edith & Roy's grandchildren - Doug's children.  Reba is her sister-in-law.  Maude & Ballard are her neighbors. 

April 25, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Sat.  Fair cool. 
I cooked and took to Jones home (where the boy got killed).  did house work & mowed some.  Millard has such a bad cough and I'm getting it too.   to church tonite. 

Footnote:  The Jones family is what she talked about yesterday - the young man was killed in a coal truck.  Millard is her husband. 


I am back home now from my show in Louisville.  I will catch up on the other dates that I missed while I was gone.   I sold a booth full of stuff - dolls, scarves, journal covers and many other things.  It was very nice weather and the crowd was huge and they had money in their pockets which I managed to get some of their money into my pocket.    I am tired today so I will try to rest some and then get started on new things for the next show - middle of May. 

April 24, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Friday  1981  Fair cool.
I mowed some, washed some.  Ben Jones Jr. got killed last nite in a coal truck, his wife Carolyn real hurt.  She is the daughter of Muriel Slemp (Edwards).  This couple got married at our church Feb. 14, 1981  To revival tonite. 

Footnote:  Guessing that Ben Jones, Jr. and wife are a couple who live in the community.  Don't know Muriel Slemp. 


My Note:   I am driving down the river on Rt. 50 today on my way to Louisville to do a two day show (Sat. and Sun.) outdoors in Cherokee Park.  I am going first to Otisca, Indiana to spend the night and visit with my old friends, Jack and Trudy.  They were our good friends when I was married and we lived in Louisville in 1967-68.   They are the only couple left out of the 4 best friend couples we had.  One of the couples got divorced and he later died and she is remarried to a very wealthy man and living in a big house (palm trees inside the house) in Florida.  The other couple, Marshall and Jackie, our Black friends ( I was a social worker with her), are both dead.  And of course, I was divorced and then Ron died in 1982.   So Jack is the last man standing and in good health I hear - I will see later today.   Trudy was a hairdresser and cut my hair for the two years we lived there.  She is going to cut my hair in the morning.  She is the best and I am so excited to have her cut it again.  I will drive about an hour from their house in the morning to Louisville and set up my booth for the show.  This is a good show with lots of good artists and a ton of people.  Lets just hope they show up Sat. & Sun.    So if you don't see a post for a couple of day, you know why.  I will catch up later. 

April 23, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Thurs.  1981  Rain, Rain 
I went to the store.  Radious, Walter, Jennings, Mrs. Orr and Mary Huff were all in.  To church tonite. 


Footnote:  Radious and Walter are her neighbors.  Jennings is her brother.  Mrs. Orr is her neighbor and I'm not sure who Mary Huff is.   

April 22, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Wed. 1981  Fair Cool
I washed some.  Mowed some.  We had to go stay with Wendi awhile.  Late I went to ask about Lizzie who is still in the hospital.  Roy, Edith, Leah & Rachel were in a minute.  To church tonite. 


Footnote:  Wendi is her granddaughter who lives about 9 miles away in Big Stone Gap.  Lizzie Sturgill is her neighbor. ( I wonder what hospital she's in  and why she doesn't go to the hospital to see her).   Roy is married to Edith - Estelle's younger sister - and they live in Big Stone Gap too.  Leah  and Rachel are their granddaughters who are visiting from Cincinnati - probably on spring break. 

April 21, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Tues.  1981  Fair
I washed 2 loads of clothes.  We got our kitchen carpet down today.  Harold & Va. Shuler stopped after church tonite.  Radious, Walter and Jemino (can not read this name) came in awhile. 


Footnote:  Harold Shuler and Virginia Shuler are neighbors who live on the back road.  Virginia is  her cousin.  Radious and Walter are her neighbors, too.   I cannot read what she wrote - the name - in the book about who was with Walter.  

April 20, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Monday, 1981.  Rain all last nite.  Turned cool today.  Redge left for home.  Millard and I went to the Dentist and he is back on penicillin for a week.  We went to Big Stone and bought a kitchen rug.  To revival tonite. 


Footnote:  Redge is her son who has been visiting from Charlotte, N.C.    Millard is her husband.  Big Stone is a small town about 9 miles away. 


My Note:    Happy Easter to each one of you.  It is a very nice day here.    I had my Easter with the girls and families at Leah's yesterday.  We were all together and had a great time.  We had good food and colored eggs - well, I colored eggs.  Hope did help me a little.  Max was not interested in dying eggs.  I gave him an Amazon Gift card and he was more interested in ordering from Amazon.  We did go to Half Price Books and Max and Hope  managed to find DVD's, video games and books.  Leslie was there with her fiancé, Mike.  They are moving into a condo and they have been painting and cleaning all week.    So today, I am finishing up some dolls and dying scarves getting ready to go to Louisville, Ky. Friday to set up the booth for the show Sat. and Sun.  I hope we have weather as good as it has been this weekend.  I have been in this show many times and some years it is cold and others it is hot.  That is the risk - you never know.  The show is very well attended, so I hope I sell a lot of this new stuff.    Talked to Mother and she had talked to Kenneth - he says they are coming to the reunion and bringing a couple granddaughters.   Looking forward to seeing everyone.     Well, have a nice Holy Sunday - now I gotta get busy.   

April 19, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Sunday, Fair  Easter. 1981
Redge, Jennifer, Leisha, Janice & Wendi were all here for lunch.   W.D. Young, Margarette, Mary Ella & daughter visited awhile.  Allso Jennings. 

Footnote:  Redge is her son and Jennifer and Leisha are his daughters.  They live in Charlotte, N.C.. 
Janice is her daughter and Wendi is Janice's daughter.  They live in Big Stone Gap, about 9 miles away.  W.D. Young and family are friends of hers.   Jennings is her brother who lives nearby. 

April 18, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Sat.  cloudy to beautiful sunshiny day.   Ruth, Smith, Ruby Bailey and Mela Smalley were in.  I went up to Jennings and out to Woodrow Sturgill's and Lizzie is still in hospital.  Redge & girls stayed tonite. 


Footnote:   Ruth is her sister-in-law, married to her youngest brother, Everette.  Smith is Ruth and Everett's youngest and probably the meanest son. Just kidding, Smith - I 'm sure you were the cutest.   Ruby Baily and Mela Smalley I don't know but I am sure they are friends of hers.  Woodrow and Lizzie Sturgill are neighbors who live on the back road.   Redge is her son and he has two daughters, Jennifer and Leisha.  They live in Charlotte, N.C.  

April 17, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Friday  Rain and rain.     Millard had a tooth pulled at 9 o'clock at Pennington.  We have Wendi.  I went to Big Stone to get a cabinet this eve.   Redge is here tonite. 



Footnote:  Millard is her husband.  Pennington Gap is a small town about 8 miles West.  Wendi is her granddaughter who is on spring break from school.  Big Stone  Gap is a small town about 9 miles East.  Redge is her son who is living in Charlotte, N. C. 

April 16, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Thurs  Fair to cloudy  1981    I washed.  We have Wendi.  The men came at 10 o'clock to build the cabinets, and I don't like them.  Jennings came and hung a picture and curtains.


Footnote:  Wendi is her granddaughter and is probably on spring break.  Jennings is her brother who lives nearby. 



my footnote:   I forgot to write yesterday and remembered just before I went to bed at 1:00AM today.  I am keeping Hope (Rachel's daughter) this week as she is on spring break.  She is 9  years old now and very busy.  She has done a little of everything this week and she brings a room full of her toys to my house.  She won't stay all night with me - says she got scared one time and can't get over it.  It is 10:15 am and she is eating mint chocolate chip ice cream.  She is always hungry at my house.  I remember being hungry always at Mamie Shuler's house.  She always had day old biscuits in her cabinet and they were so good with homemade strawberry preserves.    She has learned a couple of new embroidery stitches this week.  Last year I taught her to crochet.  She is a quick learner and that makes it fun to teach her.  We are having Easter at Leah's house on Saturday.  They all have other places to go on Sunday.   I am busy working on new things for my next show in Louisville next weekend.  We have had some awful weird weather this week.  33 degrees this morning.  I hope it warms up before next weekend as I will be outside in a tent for the weekend.  

April 15, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Wed.  cool 68 degrees 1981  We have Wendi.  Had a Doctor's date at 12:45.  Janice come for Wendi by the time we got called in.  We visited Lizzie Sturgill.  Got groceries.  To prayer meeting tonite. 


Footnote:   Wendi is her granddaughter and Janice is her daughter.  Lizzie Sturgill is her neighbor and friend. 

April 14, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Tues.  1981   We have Wendi.  She and I went up to Jennings and after milk.   Edith, Roy & Reba were in a minute. 


Footnote:   Wendi is her granddaughter who lives in Big Stone Gap, about 9 miles away.  Jennings is her brother who lives nearby.  Edith is her sister and Roy is Edith's husband.  They live in Big Stone Gap too.  Reba is her sister-in-law and she lives nearby. 


notes from the other book: 
May 22
1978  Everette Reasor age 53 died sudden about 5:00 oclock at home in the yard.  Ruth found him when she come from work.  I was over there with him earlier in the day.  We set under the tree at the back door and talked a long time. 

Timothy Harold Shuler born May 22, 1956 
1949 Reba McConnell birthday.   Jan. 1970 married Parkey Smith. 

May 23.
Curtis Creech (70) died sudden.
1987  The 1st. bad catch in my hip.  Then May 30.  then June 13. got a shot June 2
1991 Aunt Hazel Baker  82 years  died this morn.  1989  June 8 her sister Zora Greene died.  March 4, 1983  Uncle Ray Baker died. 

April 13, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Monday, 1981  Fair hot.   I painted my bedroom.  We have Wendi.  Fred Ely come & measured for awnings.  


Footnote:    Wendi is her granddaughter and is probably on spring break at school.  I don't remember anyone named Fred Ely.  Could be a relative. 

Some info from the other book:
May 17
1983  Morris Clendenin  husband of May Myers shot himself today & died. 

May 18
1980  Rev. Eugene Huff 57 died this morning while going for folks for church
1982  Rebecca Reasor Hatcher died in Richmond Va.  Sister to Jim Reasor.
1983  Tate Reasor pulled out in the road in front of a car and demolished his car.  put him in the hospital 10 days. 
1989  Wilson Sturgill (Woodrow Bro) died this morning.  cancer. 

May 19
1984  I come home after staying at Janice Gails 4 weeks.  fell in living room floor April 20 and broke my arm.  Stayed at Big Stone hospital 3 days. 

May 20
1988  Green Orr was killed by tractor. 

May 21
1981  Uncle Millard Baker died in Cincinnati Nursing home.  Went to Cincinnati Oct. 24, 1980.  Born Jan. 8, 1896.    age 85. 

1983 Mr. Ewing Bledsoe died at Kingsport today.  He was Nell Reasors friend.
1986  Brenda Lynn Ely Barney died of a massive heart attack.  41 years old. 
today is the birthday of Estelle Reasor Ely  1913.
birthday Thelma Smith  Ross
1945 Betty Bailey (Mrs. Ronnie Bailey) birthday. 

April 12, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Sunday  1981  Fair  75 degrees      Janice & Wendi were home.   We just rested all evening. 


Footnote:   Looks like a quiet Sunday.  good day to rest .   Janice & Wendi are her daughter and granddaughter.   

April 11, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Sat. 1981   I baked a cake, worked in the house.  After lunch I went up to Jennings, out to see about Lizzie who is in the hospital and down by Va. Shuler's. 


Footnote:  Jennings is her brother.  Lizzie is her neighbor.  Virginia Shuler is her neighbor, friend and cousin.   She and Virginia were avid readers and they shared books. 

April 10, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Friday 1981  Fair to rain by nite.     I went to Pennington & visited Mrs. Ward and Nell Reasor at the Hospital.  We mowed the yard.  Had to go stay with Wendi awhile. 


Footnote:   Pennington Gap is a town about 9 miles West and that is where the local hospital is located.  Mrs. Ward is her neighbor.  Nell Reasor is her friend and fellow church member.  Wendi is her granddaughter who lives in Big Stone Gap, about 9 miles East of her house.  


Notes from other book:
1937  Muriel Hobbs Ely wife of Paris Ely and Mother of Hattie Francis  Ratliffe died of spinal minigitis. 
1980  James Hedgecoth died.  husband of Bro Haun's  daughter Norma. 
1988  Reba went in Kingsport hospital for surgery.  She had gall bladder and appendix surgery.  a big stone.  she did fine.   April 18, 1990  Reba had a benign tumor out of her breast. 

Hargus  Ely was born May 16, 1910 and died June 27, 1993.  he married Thelma Wampler.  They had Rhonda, Reeta Gay, Robert Lee, Rollie Clovis, Ruth Ann and Regina Sue.    April 13, 1982  Hargus found out he had cancer. 

April 9, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Thurs.  Rainy  1981    I finished cleaning front bedroom.   Lizzie, Maudie Ellen & Woodrow come awhile.   I sewed some in afternoon.  Jennings was in.  


Footnote:   Lizzie, Maudie Ellen & Woodrow  Sturgill are a family and part of a really big family that lives on the back road near her house.  There were a lot of children in the family and the last time I was around the back road, the old Sturgill  homeplace was still standing.    Jennings is her brother and he lives on the same back road as the Sturgills.   

April 8, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Wed.  1981    I painted nearly all day.  Sure was a mess.   We went to prayer meeting tonite. 



Footnote:   I find that there is no way to paint without a mess, so I know what she means.  I'm sure she would have rather been sewing or planting or visiting someone.  

April 7, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Tues.  1981   Fair  coolish & started cleaning front bed room.   Had to go for more paint this evening.  To missionary society tonite. 


Footnote:  I guess it is now showing signs of spring and time to do a little cleaning and painting.  Just what I need to be doing too. 

April 6, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Monday, 1981  Fair coolish.  We went to the dentist with Millard's sore tooth early.   He has to take penicillin for 10 days.  Jennings came and fixed the washer & eat lunch & hung some curtains. 


Footnote:  Millard is her husband.  Jennings is her brother. 

April 5, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Sunday  1981   Rained last nite and this morn.   Janice & Wendi were home.  We layed around all evening.  To church tonite. 


Footnote:  Janice is her daughter and Wendi is her granddaughter.    Just a nice lazy Sunday looks like.  

April 4, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

1981  Sat.  82 degrees  broke records.   Janice called about 10 & suggested we go to Kingsport so I went with them to get some curtains.  Nearly wore me out.  Millard & I went down to White's a minute to take some papers & books. 


Footnote:  Janice is her daughter.  Kingsport is a town about 45 minutes southeast.  nice place to go shopping.  Millard is her husband and I guess the Whites were neighbors. 

April 3, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

1981  Friday.  Fair  78 degrees.  Jennings came down to fix lights and I fixed steak, gravy & biscuits and he & Stephen & Justin ate lunch with us.  Millard & I went to Appa. for a washing machine part.


Footnote:  Jennings is her brother who lives on the back road near her house.  Lunch sounds good.  Stephen is her nephew, son of Everette - her youngest brother.  Justin is Stephen's son.   Millard is her husband and Appalachia is a town about 10 miles East.   

April 2, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Thurs.  1981  Fair.  warm 80 degrees.     We had the men again.  I washed some.   Jennings was in, also Reba.  I washed the car and cleaned the yard. 


Footnote:  The  "men"  are working on their kitchen.   Jennings is her brother who lives nearby.  Reba is her sister-in-law and lives close to her also.   

April dates to remember:

April 4, 1915  Mildred Lucille Reasor birthday
April 8, 1944  Mildred Lucille Reasor married Ralph Zubke
April 11, 1971  Heather Jolene Zubke  birthday   (Lucille's granddaughter - Barry's daughter)
April 17, 1975  Lori Suzanne Shuler   (Edith's granddaughter  - Doug's daughter) 

April 1, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Wed.  1981   Rainy, sunshiny. windy April 1.   The men worked.  I cooked some and done a lot of things.  cleaned some windows late.  went to Stell Kelly's a minute.  missed prayer meeting.  Mrs. Ward broke her hip today.  Roy, Edith & Jennings were in. 

Footnote:  Estelle Kelly is her good friend and neighbor.  Mrs. Ward is her neighbor that lives on the back road.  Roy and Edith  are relatives, Edith is her sister and Roy is Edith's husband.  They live in Big Stone Gap buy have a farm on the back road.  Jennings is her brother and he lives on the back road too.   


Finally a nice sunny day here.  Supposed to rain some tonight.  Daffodils and hyacinth (?)  are blooming and they smell so much of spring.   Gotta bring some in the house.     Hope all is well where you are - looking forward to seeing you all in July.