October 31, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Sat.  1981  Fair  Warm.

I went up to Jennings this morn.  Went to Big Stone & got the car washed  on to Appa a minute.


Footnote:   Jennings is her brother who lives nearby.  Big Stone Gap is a town about 9 miles away.  Appalachia is a town about 2 miles away from Big Stone.    

October 30, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Friday  1981  Fair  Real warm

Jennings was in.  I went up to Radious & Walter a minute.  Val & Gene Lipps was in this evening.  Janice & Wendi come down after church party. 


Footnote:  Jennings is her brother.  Radious & Walter are friends who live nearby.  Val & Gene are also friends and I don't know where they lived.  Janice is her daughter and Wendi is her granddaughter. 

October 29, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Thurs.  1981  Fair  warm this eve. 

I washed.  made Jennings & us a apple pie.  I went by Ramona Roger's on my way to Penn. to the new dollar store.  Didn't think much of it.  Come by Magic Mart & bought some stuff.  Picked up walnuts late.  Harold Shuler come by.


Footnote:  Jennings is her brother who she watches after like a hawk.    I don't know who Ramona is.  Harold Shuler is married to Virginia Shuler, they live nearby.  Virginia is Estelle's first cousin. 

October 28, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Wed.  1981   Cloudy to Fair & Warm

I went to the hospital to visit Mrs Parsons, Elizabeth Richmond and Ida White.  Got groceries.
To prayer meeting tonite.


Footnote:  These women are all friends of hers so she is good to check on them. 

October 27, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Tues  1981  Rainy  Dark & Dreary

I made soup.  Cut some quilt pieces.  Walter Short & Jennings was in. 


Footnote:  Walter Short was a neighbor and Jennings is her brother. 


My Note:  Sorry I missed posting Monday,   Rachel called early for me to come stay with Hope - she had a sore throat but no fever.   Hope had a good appetite and had me fixing her food all day.   When I got home, I started right in to sewing and totally forgot to get on the computer.   So now it is late and I must get to bed. 

October 26, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Monday  1981  Rainy warm

I took Millard to the Dr. this evening.  Back on water pills.  I visited Ida White & Mrs. Parson's at the hospital. 



Footnote:   Millard is her husband.  Ida White and Mrs. Parsons are friends of hers.  

October 25, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Sunday  1981  Rainy


Janice & Wendi eat with us.  We stayed in all evening.  Roy & Edith come awhile.


Footnote:   A quiet Sunday.   Janice and Wendi are her daughter and granddaughter.  Roy and Edith are her sister and brother-in-law.  Guess they all had to get out of Big Stone Gap for the day.  

October 24, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Sat.  1981  Fair  cold to warm sunshine.

I cooked for Jennings, was down to Va Shuler's on my way to visit Mrs. Jake Parsons and Ida White at the hospital.  up to Ruth's late. 


Footnote:  Jennings is her brother.  Virginia Slemp Shuler is her cousin - Lula Baker Reasor (Estelle's mother) and Rose Baker Slemp  were half-sisters.  Virginia lives nearby on the same back road that Jennings lives on.  Mrs. Jake Parsons and Ida White were friends of hers.  Ruth Reasor is her sister-in-law and lives just across the highway. 

October 23, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Friday  1981  Rainy.

I have cold so didn't go out but once all day.   I finished up some sewing.  Jennings was in.


Footnote:   Jennings is her brother. 

October 22, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Thurs.  1981  Cloudy to Fair

I washed, canned apples.  Curtis Ely was here for dinner.  The telephone worker fixed the phone.  Jennings was in.  Edith and I went to Norton this evening. 


Footnote:   Curtis Ely is her brother-in-law.  Edith is her sister.  Norton is a nice size town that is about 15 miles away.  Had a lot of nice stores. 


My Note:  I have to pass this along.  Doug, my brother, called last night to give me the latest story about our Mother - who is 95 and lives alone and wears a lifeline around her neck.   He had received a call from the Lifeline people yesterday morning saying that Mother had fallen and couldn't get up.  So he and Linda rush to her house only to find Mother sitting in the corner on the floor near the back door.  She said she was getting the paper out of the back door (the neighbor puts her paper in the door every morning) and somehow she just set down in the floor.   Doug said the funny part was that she was sitting there leaned up against the wall and was reading the paper - was already on the 2nd. page.    She was not hurt - just shaken a little.   Thank goodness she drank all that milk all those years - she has got some good bones.     If you feel the urge to call her - she would love to hear from you.  She calls me and says I was just lonely and thought I would call.    423-239-4652.   

October 21, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Wed.  1981  Fair   got real warm.

I sewed a lot.  Edith come & stayed nearly all evening.  Stell Kelly come awhile.  Gene Lipps was in.  To prayer meeting tonite. 


Footnote:   Edith is her sister who lives about 9 miles away in Big Stone Gap.  Stell Kelly is her good friend who lives about a mile away.  Gene Lipps is a friend and I don't know where he lived.  Must have been close as he is there a lot. 

October 20, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Tues.  1981   Big frost   warmed up.


I went to bank early.  Millard & I went to Pennington.  He got a hair cut and I got groceries.  Jennings & I went to Dryden for revival. 


Footnote:   Millard is her husband.  Pennington Gap is a town about 8 miles away.  Jennings is her brother.  Dryden is a small town about 6 miles away - just before you get to Pennington Gap. 

October 19, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Monday  1981  Cloudy  a snow flurry, to fair & nice.

I visited Mrs. Jake Parsons early, also Sandra & Joshua.  Val and Gene Lipps was in this morning.  Radious & Walter were here this evening.  Jennings picked me up and we went to Dryden where Mr., Ellis is holding a revival. 


Footnote:  Mrs. Jake Parsons was a friend and lived in the neighborhood.  Sandra is her niece and Joshua is Sandra's son.  They live  nearby.  Radious & Walter are also neighbors and old friends.  Jennings is her brother.  Dryden is a small town about 7 miles West.   

October 18, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Sunday  1981   Cloudy, had a storm.

The lights were out as we had church.  Jennings, Janice & Wendi were here for lunch.  We went to Harlan this evening.  Millard was so short of breath tonite, it scare me. 


Footnote:  Jennings is her brother.  Janice is her daughter and Wendi is her granddaughter.  Harlan, Kentucky is a coal mining town just on the other side of the mountain - I think it might be Black Mountain.  Millard is her husband. 

October 17, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Sat.  1981   Fair  very warm.

I washed.  Baked some pies and a cake.  We rode around awhile this evening.  Visited Mrs. White at the nursing home.  Stopped at Harold & Virginia's.  up at Jennings late.


Footnote:   Mrs. White was a friend of hers - not sure how.   Harold and Virginia Shuler are her neighbors that live on the back road near her house.  Virginia is her cousin.  Jennings is her brother.   

My note:  I don't understand the difference in her time and the time I have in a day.   It would take me all day to "bake some pies AND a cake".   And then she had time left so they just rode around.  Who has time like that today???  We have way too many distractions, I think.     Anyway,  nice cool fall day here in Ohio.  Got some new projects I am working on for the next show - Nov. 22, , so it will be a busy day and no time for making pies.   We are all going to a big farm in Indiana tomorrow tor the Pumpkin Festival - big craft show and good food and we might pick up a pumpkin or two.    Enjoy the Fall wherever you are.  I hear it is going to be a cold and snowy winter again - so get out now. 

October 16, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Friday  1981  Cloudy to Sunshiny.

I canned apples this morning.  We visited John & Reba Kelly awhile this eve.  I picked up walnuts late.  Ruth moved in her new home this week. 


Footnote:   John and Reba Kelly must have been neighbors, friends or church members - I remember the name but can't remember just who they were or where they lived.   Ruth is her sister-in-law and after Uncle Everette died in 1978, she lived a while in the big house we all called the "Homeplace".  It was a big house and I'm sure was more than she needed or wanted to take care of.  So now, three years later  she moved in to a mobile home that was placed on the property right near the "Homeplace".    It was a really nice home and always so clean.  

October 15, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Thurs.  1981   Fair  warmer. 

I cooked.  Went to Mrs. Orr's  & got apples.  Edith called about a yard sale and we went up there.  I got Janice some things.  We went out there a minute.  I was over to Ruth's late.


Footnote:  Mrs. Orr is her neighbor.  Edith is her sister.  Janice is her daughter.  They both live in Big Stone Gap, about 9 miles away.  Ruth is her sister-in-law and lives just across the highway. 

October 14, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Wed.  1981  Fair  warm  sunshiny

I washed 3 loads, cleaned the bed some.  Picked up apples & canned 3 quarts.  picked up walnuts.  To Prayer meeting tonite. 


Footnote:   Love to have some of those canned apples in a fried pie or a stack apple cake - she made the best stack cake I ever ate.  Those walnuts will make their way into cakes during the winter.  I  don't remember ever eating just walnuts like we eat almonds now.  I just remember them being used in baking.   


One of my Daddy's favorite things to do was peel and slice apples and he would put them on screens to dry.  Then after they were dried, Mother would freeze them.   She still has some in the freezer and Daddy passed away in 2004.  I doubt the apples have any flavor left in them other than freezer burn, but she will not throw them out.    He also loved to gather and crack - with a hammer- the black walnuts.  He would sit for hours doing that.     I have a walnut tree in my back yard but the squirrels gather and bury the fallen  walnuts faster than I can gather them.    

October 13, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Tuesday  1981  Fair  Sunshiny. 

Jennings , Millard & I went over Blackwater Mountain to Rogersville to visit Charlie Ely's.  We stoped and visited Ray Watson on the way.  eat our lunch in Rogersville.  Come back by K-Mart in Kingsport awhile.  


Footnote:  Jennings is her brother who lives nearby.  Millard is her husband.  Blackwater Mountain is West of her house, I think and the road actually does cross the mountain (as I remember).  Charlie Ely is their cousin ( I don't remember how they were related to her).  Rogersville is in East Tennessee, about 30 miles West of Kingsport.   Probably took them all day to make this trip. 

October 12, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Monday  1981  Cloudy nearly all day

We took some food up to Jennings.  I picked up some walnuts.  Went over to Barney Blairs barn awhile where they were grading tobacco.  To the store later. 


Footnote:  Jennings is her brother who lives nearby.  Oh I would love to have some of those good fresh black walnuts to put in some fudge.  Barney Blair is her neighbor.  

October 11, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Sunday  1981  .  Cloudy  Warm.

Janice & Wendi & Jennings had lunch with us.  Farin Roger's parents come to church this morn.  Ramona & Kids were there and we all nearly choked to death. 


Footnote:  Janice is her daughter and Wendi is her granddaughter.  Farin Rogers is the young man that was killed in the coal mines.  He was a good member of their church and looks like they were all missing him.   She loved her church family. 


My Note:  Happy Birthday to Aunt Ruth Smith Reasor today.  She has now turned 88 years old.  Wish I was close enough to go see her.      Nice weather here today after 3 days of off and on rain.  I am taking Hope to a big pumpkin patch and hayride later today.  Leah's real estate team rents out this huge garden center for the occasion.  They turn the kids loose in the corn field and they can pick out the pumpkin of their choice.  They have all sorts of games for the kids as well as animals to pet and ride.  We went last year and the kids had so much fun.  Max will be there too.  They have really good food too.  So today is a nice day for all that.    I have a man coming here at 3PM to pick up a doll that he special ordered for his wife's birthday.   The doll is all ready and I hope he likes it.  

October 10, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Sat.  1981  Cloudy,  some rain.

Jennings was in early.  We all went to Fanny Collier Boyds yard sale.   Millard & I went to Pennington awhile.  Curt & Martha come awhile. 



Footnote:  Jennings is her brother.  I don't know who the Boyds are.  Millard is her husband and Pennington Gap is a town about 8 miles West.  It was always fun to just park in the middle of town and sit in the car and watch the people - see if you know anyone to talk to.  Don't know if that is what they did but my Mother sure did that in Big Stone Gap on Saturday afternoon.  Curt and Martha are related to Millard . 

October 9, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Friday  1981   Fair  Warm

I washed and canned some apples.  Mr. & Mrs. Wheeler come visiting from Lexington Ky.  We were glad to see them.   Millard & I visited Hattie & Ralph Reasor awhile and went on down in Nell Reasor's orchard for apples & pears.  We brought Hattie & Stell Kelly some apples. 


Footnote:  I don't know anything about the Wheelers.   Not sure who Hattie & Ralph Reasor are either.  Nell Reasor is her friend from church.  Stell Kelly is also her friend from church.  

October 8, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Thurs.  1981  Fair  warm.  

We picked up Jennings & Reba and went to Wise for Farin Roger's funeral.  Our pastor, Bro Zion preached, Betty, Diana, Cathy & Sylvia Kelly sang.  Rob Hunt, Rodney Orick, John Hobbs, Jerry Durham were pall bearers.  There was 30 from the church.  Sure was sad. 


Footnote:  Jennings is her brother and Reba is her sister-in-law.  Wise is a town about 20 miles away.  Farin Rogers was a member of her church and was killed in the coal mines.  Bro. Zion was the preacher at the Deep Springs Baptist Church.   Betty, Diana, Cathy and Sylvia were all members of the church and I expect that all the pall bearers were too.   Rob Hunt was Sandra Reasor Hunt's husband and father of Joshua Hunt.  I know the Orick's lived in the neighborhood and John Hobbs, I think, is the son of Aubrey and Patty Reasor Hobbs.  I didn't know Jerry Durham but I expect he was a church member too.  

October 7, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Wed.  Fair  Warm.

I washed.   Jennings ate lunch with us.  I went to Wise to funeral home tonite where Farin Rogers lay corpse.  So sad.  He was supposed to hold prayer meeting for us tonite. 


Footnote:  Jennings is her brother.  Wise is the county seat of Wise County and is about 20 miles away.  So now we find out that Farin Rogers was a church member.   

October 6, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Tues.  1981 

Gregory 22 years old.    Farin Rogers was killed at the mines this morning, cut in two pieces.  Breaks our hearts.  Millard & I went to Big Stone to pick up my ring I had ordered,  then went to Pennington for our flu shots and went by Roger's house to see Ramona and the kids.  To Missionary Society tonite.  


Footnote:   Happy Birthday to Gregory Dewayne Jetton.  He is the only grandson she has.  He lives in the Hobbs, New Mexico area and sees his Mother, Rosemary and his Dad, Carey Drew often.   I remember hearing about the mining tragedy but I didn't know the Rogers man.  Not sure where he lived and how she knew him.  Maybe he went to church with them.   Millard is her husband and Big Stone Gap is about 9 miles to the Northeast.  Pennington is a town about 7 miles to the West of her house.  Missionary Society is an organization of the church that supports the missions  serving around the world.   


Cold and rainy here so I am staying in and just being lazy  today - still very tired and legs and feet are sore from 12 hours of standing on the cold,  hard concrete of the street.    I will get over it in time for the next show, I hope.   

October 5, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Monday  1981   Rainy  a very dreary day. 

I went to town this evening awhile.  Was up to Jennings late.


Footnote:  I think she referred to Big Stone Gap as going to town.  Could have been Pennington Gap too.   Jennings is her brother who lives nearby. 


My Note:  I am back home after a long day - started at 5:30 this morning.  Temperature was 42 when I left the house this morning.    Leah and Kenny came to help me put the top on the tent.    As the day turned out, I should have put the sides on also as it was a very windy day and the quilts took a beating hanging in the booth.  It was cold all day and started raining just about 4:45.  The show was over at 5.  I had a rain poncho so I never got wet and I was able to get all my things into the boxes before they got wet.  Just the top of the tent is wet but I will spread it on the driveway to dry this week.  I am very tired and cold - got my heating blanket on the bed turned on to HIGH.,  May leave it that way all night.  It will take that long for my feet to warm up.    So glad that is my last outdoor show this year.  Show was good - I sold so many dolls and got orders for so many more.  I will be busy this week getting them all done.  

October 4, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Sunday  1981   Fair  cool to warm.

Janice & Wendi here.  I went with church group to nursing home for services.  Va. Reasor, Ida Rutherford & A. L. her son visited. 


Footnote:  Janice and Wendi are her daughter and granddaughter.  Virginia Reasor and Ida Reasor Rutherford were members of a large family that grew up in Deep Springs.  I don't know the family well enough to know if they were related to Estelle or not.  I remember Virginia Reasor, as she was a teacher at Big Stone Gap Elementary school most of her life.  She lived in an apartment near the school.  She died this year and I don't remember how old she was.  I think she was in her 90's.  She was in Johnson City, Tenn. in the Christian Village Nursing/Assisted Living home for years.    I took Mother to see her several times.   I remember A.L. Rutherford as being a big, tall man.  He was in Big Stone in school, I think. 


My Note:   I am in my last outdoor show tomorrow, Sunday.  It is about 9 miles from my house but I can't set up the tent until early in the morning.  Show opens at 10AM.  Problem with that is that the tents are set up in the middle of the street in this busy town,.  The people who live there  are out walking their dogs or jogging early in the morning and they all want to get in the booth before I get things set up.  Drives me crazy and makes me very nervous.   So I have to be there about 6:30AM to set up the tent.  It is going to be about 35 degrees and that is not good for putting a heavy plastic top on the tent poles.  I think Rachel is going to help me so that will make it a little easier.   It is supposed to be a nice sunny day buy cool which is good - puts people in the mind of buying for the holidays.   So I may not have time to make an entry in the morning but I will catch up later. 

October 3, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Sat.  1981  Fair  cold to hot.

We went up to Ad & Willie Rogers antique sale a while.  Then to Dry Branch sale, eat at Fish house, back by Uncle Ray's and another yard sale and home.  Jennings was in late.


Footnote:  I can hardly read her writing on the names of the Rogers, and I don't know who they are.  Uncle Ray Baker is her mother's half-brother and must live in the Dry Branch area.  I remember going to his house but don't remember how we got there.  Jennings is her brother. 


My Note:  Congratulations to Linda and Doug Shuler on the birth of their grandson this morning.  Lori had a C-section about 7 AM.  Baby weighed over 8 lbs. and 21" long.  I don't know what they are naming him.  Brody will be a big brother now.    So that adds one more to our family - part of the 5th. generation. 

October 2, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Friday  1981  Fair  Cold.

I baked some cakes.  Took Jennings one.  Millard & I went to see Pearl this eve.  rode on to Grant Morefields and found a big yard sale in Woodway.  Reba was in late.


Footnote:  Jennings is her brother.  Millard is her husband.  Pearl Barkley is her cousin who lives about 6 miles or so away(as I remember).  I do remember the name Grant Morefield and I thought he lived near her but not sure.  Woodway is a small village about 9 miles away.  Reba is her sister-in-law.  

October 1, 1981 Aunt Estelle wrote

Thurs.  1981  Cloudy  hot.

Jennings was in.  I canned apples, washed.  Millard & I rode to Big Stone,  made a few stops.  Went to Janice's & Ediths and no one home.  Edith & Roy were here when we got home. 




Footnote:  Jennings is her brother.  Millard is her husband.  Janice is her daughter and Edith is her sister.  Roy is her brother-in-law.  A family kind of day. 

My Note:   I am reminded by my notes that yesterday, Sept. 30 was the date of Betty Jean's death in 2008.  She was sadly missed at our last reunion and I know her family misses her greatly every day. 

Today, Oct. 1 is the 10th birthday of my youngest (and last as she reminds me) grandchild, Hope Nicole Klump.    She has celebrated for two weeks already and is not done yet.   We are going out to the dinner of her choice tonight - Lord only knows where that will be.  She is a good eater and likes the expensive stuff. 

Other October dates to remember are:
Oct. 3, 1964  Leisha Renee Ely - no she can't be 50 !!! Youngest daughter of Redge and Reka Ely.
Oct. 4, 1911  Willard Morris Reasor was born
Oct. 6, 1959  Gregory Dewayne Jetton - I don't even want to know how old that makes that young man.   son of Rosemary and Carey Drew Jetton.   
Oct. 11, 1926  Aunt Ruth Smith Reasor was born.  I wish her a very happy birthday. 
Oct. 14, 1949  Lula Baker Reasor died. 
Oct. 27, 1993  Laura Elizabeth Reasor was born to Smith and Linda Reasor.  She is the youngest of her generation.  Great-grandchild.