Ice Storm 2007

The worst ice storm in Oklahoma history hit 10 days ago.  One third of the state was without electric power.  Some are still without.  Father`s sermon Sunday morning hit home.  It`s a time to reflect on our Oklahoma ancestors that lived on the prairies over 100 years ago.  It helps us see what life for them might have been like.  It helps us realize what possibly the homeless lives are like and what the average person in Baghdad deals with daily.  It certainly helps us appreciate the basics and the small things such as a gas range that heats our house, warm red robe I received for Christmas last year, the box of books Harold left when he was here, a deck of cards, Scrabble, 20 gallons of Coleman fuel Woody brought us last spring from an auction, Boy Scouts lanterns and stoves (to use and lend to others), soft rain for serval days that provided us with water from roof for toilets and dishes, and kept roads from icing so we could take a friend that needs a heart and lung transplant to regular Dr. appointment in Oklahoma City, and let us escape to movies and bowling alley( in whatever cities that had power) with antsy grandkids, a tall glass candle holder Becky gave me for Christmas a few years back(great light in a dark house), faithful mail delivery, connection with neighbors and friends in same boat, the 3 days we got power in between to run our freezer, take baths, and do laundry, 4 grandkids overnight when we had power and no one else did, the same 4 young ones attending Sunday Mass with us, everyone who helped with food for volunteer linemen from several states or anyone needing it (about 1000 were fed 3 meals daily here).  All of this brought out the best in everyone.  I think the saddest thing was the loss of trees.  Our backyard is stacked high with broken off limbs.  The cedar west of our house that is probably 150 years looks like a Charley Brown Christmas tree.  Hope we can save it as a reminder of the resilience of Oklahoma people. 

Aunts and Uncles - A Hardy Group

In the coming entries I will introduce you briefly to my memories of my biological aunts and uncles.  Mother had 6 siblings - 3 sisters and 3 brothers.  Daddy had 8 siblings - 5 sisters and 3 brothers.  Neither had any sibling die in infancy which was a fete in itself considering medical care was more primitive and money during the Depression and the first quarter of the century  was scarce.  Not many families of that generation can make that claim, alot did lose children.  The Balks and Phillips` were a healthy lot or maybe just too stubborn to allow babies to die.