Hi Mom,

If the people who comment on your blog want to have a little photo by their comments, just like yours, just send them to http://en.gravatar.com/ andhave them click the “Get your Gravatar Today” button on the left site. They can then upload an image and it will show up on any WordPress site they comment on.
Note that the image is tied to the email address they use when they sign up so be sure they use that same email address when leaving you a comment. It’s a free service.

Love, Ian

Received this email from Ian today. That Boy! Always looking out for me! I think this is a good idea…cause right now when you comment on a post of mine…a little ghost comes up. It really doesn’t look like you at all! You are WAY better looking! And, I really do not like ghosts very much…flying around…sight unseen…hiding in the corners of your room…making weird “woo-ooo-ooooo” noises…like they think we know what they are saying…we don’t know ghost language…at least I don’t and I hope you don’t. Then they show up at those seance things and tell you something about someone who’s gone somewhere because they died of something and didn’t finish their talking while on this earth. I think that’s a bunch of hooey! I don’t know if that is even a real word. But it is a good word…and I think you get it. Do you remember ‘Ghostbusters’?…”Who ya gonna call?….GHOSTBUSTERS!” Remember they sucked those ghostly things up into a box. Wonder how many they could get in one box? Anyway…I liked the movie, even if I don’t believe in ghosts! “I ain’t ‘fraid a no ghosts!” I really liked that Patrick Swayze movie…but those were scary ghosts. Except for Pat. Do you think he could really jump into Wh**pi G*ldberg like that? That was one funny woman…when she was ‘ghost filled’. I think if there is any body on the planet who is open to being taken over by a ghost jumping inside of them it would be her! Now, I really don’t think ghosts are real…except when Pat sat down behind Dem at the potter’s wheel and helped her make that pot…that part looked very real to me….I’m just saying. Gee….I do tend to ramble on, don’t I…..

What I mean is…if you wish to remain a ghost on my blog, that is fine by me. Or if you wish to be seen in all your beauty…read and do!

EDITED : Yea for Kat! She’s the first to send her ghost packing! Come on, now…you can be next!

Yesterdy was a fun day at the pool. Tara brought JT……Lori brought Jezebelle……..Joy brought Pop……..And, Alex felt well enough to sit outside for a little and play with JT. We all had a ball! I made a cake…I MADE A CAKE!!! Strawberry with cream cheese icing. Yummy! Pop said he could not remember the last time he was in a pool.

When Mom and Pop built their second house…..they built 4!!!…..they put a huge pool in the backyard. Pop had one of the screen houses built over it. Which helps to keep the leaves out…but also much of the sun. So, it was always chilly. They built a nice pool house with a big covered deck.

We loved that pool. The boys and Joy’s girls wanted to stay there all the time. And, they all learned to swim there…..Alex being the last. Joy and I would pack food and drinks and come and stay for the day! The kids would swim and eat and swim and eat. Joy, Mom and I would sit and talk , or work on some project or idea. Those were wonderful times. We would have church parties out there. And, for mny years, we had a day camp for the girls in our church, called Camp Sunshine. (I’ll write about that one day) And, birthday parties…oh my! It was used every day! It used to be a wonderful incentive…or punishment! ********I don’t know why the picture below is crooked, probably the photographer! (ME)

I had to include the picture of Pop swimming. This is how I have seen him so many times swimming with the children. And then today he and JT played in the pool together. Sweet memories made today! Look at him…sure doesn’t look 84, does he?

But, the upkeep on all the grounds and pool got to be too much…and so the sold it, and built another one on the left side of that one. But, alas, no pool. But, they didn’t like that house very much…said it was too big. And, so they sold it and built another one on the right side of the first one. And, that is where Pop lives now.

I am leaving tomorrow to go to Birmingham. I have a very dear friend, Pamela, whose son is getting married on Saturday. I am going to decorate for the rehearsal dinner, and then direct the wedding. Joy is going to help me. We have built in a little time to do some shopping, too. The wedding is going to be outside on the grounds of a winery in a nearby town. I’ll make lots of pictures.

I have had some new friends stopping by to say hello on the blog! I am so happy to hear from you! Comments make us bloggers feel good!