CELEBRATIONS

Some families really know how to celebrate life's big events. JUNE CURRY's family is a good example. This past month, the whole family pitched in and rented the beautiful "cabin" pictured below in Southeastern Oklahoma. The reason? "Baby" brother Chris just turned 50! Kevin and Michael even flew in from Portland, Oregon to honor this milestone in the family's life.

The "Cabin" where the Curry family stayed.

Chris Curry celebrates the big 5-0!

The family of JUNE and Grady CURRY - July 2018

Although the summer of 2018 appears to go down in history as the hottest summer ever on the planet, I feel certain many of you took vacations - or plan to soon. Many beaches in Florida have had to close due to the red tide (from higher water temperatures - Climate Change) that has dumped thousands of dead sea creatures on the beautiful sands, and the toxicity of the ocean water in those places prohibits anyone wishing to swim in it. Not to mention the damage to your health to do so - the poison it contains causes many health risks, and the deposits on shellfish can be fatal for humans to eat. There seems to be a hurricane headed for Hawaii, and the beautiful forests in California and Colorado are suffering so many fires that the cool mountain retreats are no longer a desirable destination. Europe, long a destination for vacationers, is suffering "extreme heat", and Sweden, of all places, is still under warning for high fire risks. "The Scandinavian country has over the past weeks had dozens of wildfires, mostly in central, western and northern Sweden, and foreign firefighters helped their Swedish colleagues." So much for climate change deniers!

So, tell me, where did you go? Photos?

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This summer has held and will hold celebrations in NANCY THOMPSON and Jake BAKER's family. A recent week she had several family members visit, including Jake's brother Randy (also a BHS grad). 

Her niece and husband visited from Kansas and NANCY took them on a tour of the old farmhouse she and Linda's dad grew up in - 16 miles in the country -- I spent many a night out there as well. NANCY used to drive her dad's old pickup across the pastures, peering out the side of the steering wheel as she was much too short to look over it! We chased jackrabbits, and even HUGE tarantulas on those dark nights! NAN was quite a shot with an old 22 rifle (I think). She could hit a tarantula from standing in the bed of the pickup. IRENE PIEL BATTS sometimes came for our sleepovers, but she was a big scaredy cat! One night we wanted to spread a quilt on the front yard and lie down to look at the moon and stars. No way! Maybe we knew she was so scared of the tarantulas that we would back down (to our relief) and sleep indoors.

Some of NANCY's grandchildren also visited. During all of this excitement, she got word that she was a proud great-grandmother for the eighth time (she thinks!).. I guess you might lose count with that many. Her daughter Melissa's son Spencer will get his Master's Degree at UT here in Austin on August 18th. He also has a wedding coming up next year in April. If I'm not mistaken (NAN will correct me I'm sure if I'm wrong), Spencer's bride-to-be will finish medical school before the wedding.

NANCY's birthday is this month, but more importantly, she and Jake will celebrate their 61st wedding anniversary August 31st! I had to be reminded of this, as I totally forgot last year. 60 years! I apologized, but had to tell her (I guess this comes from my own multiple marriages) that I never celebrate anniversaries in my family! I really am in awe of those wonderful folks who manage such long-lived marriages.

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PETS ALIVE!

One last item before I close. I really miss my little dog Fancy, who lived for nearly 20 years. Also, at one time when I lived in the Barn, we had so many cats - indoors and outdoors - that I worked part-time doing data entry for my vet so they would visit and vaccinate all the cats. There were at least 20 at one time. I took one of the females at a time to be spayed, but couldn't keep up with them! 

JUNE has two little rescue dogs, Tracie and Dori.  A Maltese and a Chihuahua/Terrier mix. So sweet.

TRUMAN CONNER rescued a stray kitten that he named Stanley. Unfortunately, Stanley scared him recently and ran up a formidable vet bill, I'm sure. Seems he has allergies. Now he is strictly an indoor cat - and demands a lot of attention! Stanley, what big, beautiful green eyes you have!

It's said that the "elderly" (did I just say that??) who have pets tend to be happier and healthier. They certainly can keep one from being lonely or too inactive! The pets as well as people thrive on love.

This reminds me of an old-time newspaper column that some little old lady wrote about all the comings and goings of neighbors in their small community. That was big news back then... hmm... and so it is! Thank goodness there are no "good-byes" in this one!

Love and Peace,

Marilyn