The Mountain Eagle
WHITESBURG WEATHER

Granddaughter selects wedding dress




Happy Valentine’s Day!

Once again we are back in the deep freeze in this little corner of the Ohio Valley area. One day this week it was rather nice and I sat on my porch swing for a short time.

Wednesday was mild, except the wind would blow you away if you didn’t hang on.

I have two friends in Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati, so Vicki Power and I went to visit them. It is a long walk to the elevators and I must say I was so short of breath that if I had I enough energy I would have laughed. I had to rest then walk a little farther, but at least I wasn’t the one in the bed with tubes in my arm.

I forgot to mention something in my column last week. My deepest sympathy goes out to Forrester Hogg, formerly of Roxana, in the loss of his daughter Jody. I have never met Jody, just Facebook friends, and actually I didn’t know she was Forrester’s daughter since I haven’t been on the computer much in the last two years.

Forrester and one of his daughters came to the Letcher County Picnic a few years ago. Forrester also published a book called “Roxana”.

Saturday was a wonderful day for me as I got to spend several hours with my oldest daughter Kay Gray and two of my granddaughters, Jennifer and Jodi Gray. Jodi wanted me to go with her as she was trying on bridal gowns. The first one was magnificent for her as far as I was concerned. Jodi tried on five gowns, and then she chose the first one.

Southern Ohio

Afterwards the owner brought Champaign. She brought me a smidgen in the glass. I tasted it and gave it to Kay.

We went across the street for a bite to eat, and for the first time in over two years I ate a bite of real food in a restaurant that wasn’t soup. Jodi and I shared some spaghetti and a humongous meatball.

I wish I could say it stayed down, but no such luck. It was good to sit and eat without having a bowl of just soup.

I’ve never seen so many bridal shops in such a small place called Reading.

Thanks, Kay, Jennifer, and Jodi and several of Jodi’s friends, for making this day special. There were three generations. Including Jodi’s friends, we ranged ages from 72 years to 14 months.

Jodi is having 15 bridesmaids in her wedding, and the flower girl will be her brother’s four-year-old daughter, Harlow. Now that will be something to see.

The wedding will be held in the backyard of her parents’ home at the gazebo. The reception will be held in an historic venue at Long Worth Hall in Cincinnati.

Jodi will be having her bachelorette party in Nashville, Tenn. Yes, Jodi wants me to attend that too, as her mother will be there. There will be a bachelor party for her fiancé in another location somewhere in Nashville. I’m undecided about this event.

Sunday, I ventured again with Kay, Jodi, Jennifer, and Samantha too, and there were four generations. This time it was several of the girls trying on bridesmaid’s dresses.

Wait a minute they still have another appointment, but sorry to say I can’t make this one as I have something I have to do.

After the fittings eight of us ventured to Olive Garden, where I ate soup and a few bites of the appetizer. This in itself was a great time as we were seated in front of the fireplace. It has been almost three years since I have been to Olive Garden.

As I sat watching Jodi and the bridesmaids, of course my thoughts drifted back to my own wedding. I was married in a red dress that I had worn for different occasions. We did not let anyone know we were getting married. We went to a justice of the peace, and with its up and downs, our marriage lasted 32 years. Now 50 some odd years later I feel like I am watching a movie being made with all this amazing things going on.

Enough of my life, although I will probably be writing more.

Please keep Johnny and Ann Calihan’s family in your prayers as their daughter Sue Wagner is very ill, and is in the hospital in South Carolina. Ann isn’t able to travel that far, and Sue is too ill to be flown here to Cincinnati. My heart breaks for Ann and the family. I hope by the time The Mountain Eagle is printed Sue will have improved.

I haven’t talked to Les and Pat Wagner in a few days. I hope everything is all right with them, and Pat is feeling better.

Maybe when the weather gets warmer, I will venture to Haddix Hall (formerly Hunters Pizzeria) to see Tony Hale & Blackwater Band or Ma Crow & the Lady Slippers.

I am so pleased to hear that my column about snow cream sparked the taste buds of a few of my readers. Since snow covered the mountains I love in eastern Kentucky, Marcia Caudill informed me that after reading my column she made a bowl of snow cream, and was planning on having another.

I hope some time this coming year, while venturing to the mountains for an event of bluegrass music, Mike and Marcia will have a bonfire and invite me to join. I will even bring the marshmallows.

I was at my daughter Kay’s that Saturday and Sunday evening, and Kay has a fireplace on her patio as you walk in her side entrance to her home. Clarence had built a fire. This was about noon, so of course we had to leave. It was after six each evening when we returned, and Clarence would have a roaring fire.

Sunday night, when we returned it was starting to get bad so I never even looked toward the fireplace. I did call Kay and asked one evening if I visited her would she sit out by the fire with me, and she said yes, that they do it every evening.

As I got within seeing distance to my house, it came a whiteout of snow and I was lucky I didn’t have to drive any farther than I did. That is the second time that I have ever seen snow fall that quickly, and we got about half an inch as it left as soon as it came.

Malcolm Wilson, thanks for sharing the beautiful post of your wife. What an amazing tribute to pay anyone. It was a pleasure meeting you.

Well as usual I am letting time slip upon me, so until next time, Rose Ballard, 9110 Lawrenceburg Rd., Harrison, Ohio 45030.



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