Book One - The Potter and the Clay: 8

[November 15, 2010 - This book was begun in 2001. Today, nine years later, as we upload them for whoever might be encouraged by them, Jeanette is on the final lap of her battle with cancer. As of this posting she has begun experiencing bleeding and is unable to eat much more than limited quantities of clear liquid. As strength ebbs, she is pretty much confined to bed. Her sister, Dottie, is with her. Her spirits are good. She has had the opportunity to see what this blog looks like and she is gratified to think some of what she has written might be helpful in someone's life.

If you would like to COMMENT on her posts, please feel free to do so at the bottom of each post. These comments will be printed out and taken to her. If you would like to send a personal note you may do so by writing to jnelsonbbc@gmail.com. These come to our office and are delivered to her.]

 

Chapter Eight

MEMORIES

I had good times and good memories. I remember when Dad would take a day off and we would go off for the day. There would be times when it was rainy and we would go shopping.

Later on when I was working at the Murray Center I would get a week off for vacation. I would either go home or spend a week with Dottie. She lived in Pennsylvania then.

I remember Dottie telling Mom I could fly down. I was thinking – flying? Oh well! I can try that. I went down on a commuter plane. It wasn’t costly then and I got used to it. In fact: I have flown several times.

I heard a friend last week in church give praise for a wonderful sunset. She also mentioned about that shooting the evolution theory. I agreed with her.

I remember when I was working for this lady in Whitney Point. She and her cousin were going to her cousin’s nephew’s summer resort. It was the Oquada Lake Resort. This was in October. By the way! They asked me to come along. Trees were beautiful with fall colors. The lake was silvery blue.  I was thinking –Oh ! The creation of God. Only He could’ve done that. It was an awesome sight.

That made me think of bus trips I’ve been on since I retired. [Bus tours sponsored by the Empire State Fellowship of Regular Baptist Churches] I think I went on every trip but one or two with Shirley Knapp and another lady from our church. One trip took us to the Adirondacks for two-day conference. There were a lot of us at that time. The third day we went to Vermont. Talk about God’s handiwork. It was a beauty to see all the way to   Vermont.

I had a fantastic time when I went with Shirley on the train. I was to eat with Mom and Dad at five. I thought I would take a short nap. I slept forty-five minutes long-and-hard in my easy chair. That did it for sleeping – period! Shirley picked me up at 10:00 that night. Then Sally and her husband took us up to the train station. We got on the train at 1:02 in the morning. I told myself “I’ve got to get some zz”s now because when it gets to be later in the morning, I don’t want to miss anything.” I didn’t have to worry. I was wide awake all day. We finally headed for the west.

The train started up at 6:30 , maybe a little before. We were going for dinner an hour later. We had to go through 4 cars to get to the dining car. It seemed like the train was making up for lost time. When I got ready to go the second car, I looked down between those two cars.  I could see those things going up and down, back and forth. I said –“Oh! I can’t do this.” Shirley said “Yes!” I was going to hop over and hit that door.

Well I did. Then I thought about just going to the lounge. Then I said “No! I paid for this trip. I’m going all the way.”  I did and made it back to my sleeper. I went to visit Shirley in her sleeper. Then someone else was talking to her so I excused myself.

I asked the porter if he could make up my bed . He did and I took  one look at it and got ready for bed. My idea was to have my pillow on the window sill and look out as we were rolling along those tracks. That didn’t work though. So I slid my pillow and finally landed into a deep slumber. I didn’t wake up until 6:00 when I heard Shirley talk to the porter. By the way! I got very good, the rest of the trip, going back and forth through those cars.

We would go for early breakfast hour, then come to our sleeper. We would often visit in either Shirley’s or my sleeper. Aside from going for our meals, I’d be looking out my window and wonder what it was like back with early settlers traveling.

Dottie took her friend and me up to see the Grand Canyon. I was careful not to get to the edge. I enjoyed seeing what I wanted. Then I went into the gift shop. The Grand Canyon is a sight the camera couldn’t do for nor for the trip we took Sedona the next day.

I’ve been to lot of places, seen lot of things and gained a lot of friends. I thank God for letting Shirley be my traveling companion on the train and for Sally and her husband to took us up to meet the train.

I have a lot of memories to look back on. I thank my family and God.