The Mountain Eagle
WHITESBURG WEATHER

About time for the electric blanket




Happy New Year everyone!

As we greet another New Year, my thoughts return to previous New Year Eves, as Jack and I would have reservations to go out celebrating with family and friends.

I didn’t drink but I had as much fun, if not more, than anyone as I’ve always loved dancing. Jack and I never missed a dance, whether it was a slow dance or a fast one.

Of course before heading out for the evening I always had an appointment to get my hair fixed and a special outfit to wear. It feels good to remember the wonderful times Jack and I had together.

It is hard to believe by the time you are reading this Christmas will be just a memory. This will be an unusual column as it is time related. I will have Christmas news next week so grab a cup of your favorite beverage and let’s chat about this and that.

We have been having some beautiful weather in the Ohio Valley area, but today the temperature has started dropping as we had a mist of rain yesterday, although it was a warm rain.

We were predicted to have a dusting of snow for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, which makes my heart long once more for the mountains of eastern Kentucky. I wish someone could explain the reason each Christmas that I get this longing to go just one time, and if nothing else to drive through that little place called Roxana.

I will always remember the year that my cousin Bessie Jane Gibson and I sneaked onto Hiram Mitchell’s property and chopped down a short needle pine tree. Martha Mitchell paid me a dollar to help clean her house and I bought a strand of Christmas lights and a box of icicles.

I was 11 years old, and oh we thought that was the most beautiful tree, and it was the first tree that we ever had when I was a child. Mom saved the lights to use for sometime later.

I see the expensive toys and electronic gadgets children and teenagers get nowadays, and don’t appreciate anything, as we live in a world of want and want more. We live in a world of collecting things, never thinking that when we leave this world we can’t take anything with us.

Southern Ohio

This has been a bad year for lots of you readers, losing loved ones and having health issues.

Christmas used to be such a busy time for me, especially when the children were small. I would get caught up in the excitement.

This is such a sad time for my children as it will be their first Christmas without their dad, as he always made supper for Christmas Eve. I thought we could all get together at my house for Christmas Eve, but of course everyone has other plans.

My daughter Anna decided since it had been so many years since she had been able to be at home with her kids on Christmas Eve that she and the kids would come about noon.

I had planned on having lasagna for Christmas Eve, so we had lasagna at 12 for Anna and her family. Scott has to work, and my daughter Angie Wiederhold and 10-yearold sidekick Bennie will be here about that time too.

My daughter Kay Gray, her husband and family were previously invited to a fancy party, including a band, at someone’s house. In fact, Kay asked me to go, but of course I declined. Kay, along with her daughter’s Jodi, and Jennifer, along with her two children, Samantha, and T.J., will be here about four. I don’t have any idea if Kay’s son’s C.J. and his family or Jamie will be here.

By the time everyone is in and out, I will be ready to keep company with my electric blanket.

Had I known in time that we all couldn’t be together, I would have made plans for a later date and called Whitesburg Motel for reservations. The only drawback is that I really do hate to travel that far in the winter months as the weather is very unpredictable.

It will be spring before we know it, as time waits for no one. If God permits me to live and my health is all right in March, I plan to be at Carcassonne Community Center for their first square dance. This time I will make sure I get there to enjoy the whole square dance.

I haven’t talked to Les and Pat Wagner in a few days. Maybe Pat has recovered enough to head for the mountains. I hope Pat hasn’t had a relapse and is in the hospital again.

I stopped in to check on Johnny and Ann Calihan, and it was so nice to spend a little time with these two.

Their daughter Teresa and Sue had gotten the Christmas tree up and the house decorated. Johnny was telling me about helping to carry my great grandmother “Nance” Ma Coots’s coffin up the hill to the cemetery. Johnny had to be very young.

Well I am not feeling very good and it is difficult trying to concentrate, so until next time, Rose Ballard, 9110 Lawrenceburg Rd., Harrison, Ohio 45030.



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