Aren’t Old Friends Wonderful? 2008

There’s a sign, painted on a piece of ten and hanging on my sun porch that reads: “Good friends – like old quilts grow more valuable through the years.”  John and I can attest to that especially with the happenings of the last few weeks.

A few weeks ago we were going on our merry way – John was involved in some old greasy job and I was pushing a needle of some kind – when the doorbell rang.  Well, it took the lady of the house a few minutes to get rid of what was in her lap, slip her feet back in her shoes and plod to the door.  By now the couple was back out in the yard and headed for the barn.  When they turned around, it took me a few seconds – but I couldn’t believe my eyes.  There stood Jim and Mary Jo, people we had known and gone to church with in the 1970’s – we all lived in Marietta.  They look just the same – just a mite more mature.  Jim was a pilot and was gone a lot.  Mary Jo and I quilted, gardened and preserved veggies together.  Their daughter was born on the wedding day of our youngest daughter and Mary Jo had been at the church that day – actually helping decorate tables in the fellowship hall.  What a pleasure it was to touch base with these two again!  They were camping at LakeGuntersville (20 miles away) on their way to Illinois for some type of gathering.  They had been to the Windy Knoll before, but this was their first time to camp at LakeGuntersville and they had all kind of nice things to say about the area and its beauty.  Of course, they had been driving all over and had visited Unclaimed Baggage in Scottsboro – everybody knows about it.  Needless to say, Mary Jo had found some bargains there and was so excited.

After much conversation about children, grandchildren (and in our case, great grands) we were brought up to date on other friends we used to know in those bygone years; and all too soon the visit ended, but not before they were given goodies to remember us by.  They really know how to please a pair of seniors.

Then just this past week it was not the doorbell that got my attention, but a car horn.  I was sitting on the sun porch talking on the telephone – I asked the party on the other end (and it was long distance) to hold on.  Would you believe I completely forgot about her and later I heard a dial tone – the receiver still being off the hook.  Without missing a beat I silently hung the phone up and kept talking to my visitors.

From the vehicle this man had told me who he was and stated that they had friends with them.  Of course, I insisted that they get out and come in.  What a delight!! This was a couple that had been dear to us when we lived in Smyrna, Georgia in the 1950’s and ‘60’s.  Wow!  Their daughter and our oldest graduated from high school together in 1964 and did we have a lot of catching up to do.  Both men had worked at Lockheed and the ladies were both into needlework – big time.  Betty and Leon had also gone to church with us, but this time it was to the Smyrna First Methodist. The girls were in Sunday School together, as well as they belonged to Rainbows together.

We laughed and talked every minute they were here, but I was so sorry to see the condition of Betty’s hands.  Arthritis is a mean character and she is no longer able to do all that fancy needlework that she used to enjoy so much.  Betty did beautiful heirloom sewing, as well as knit.  Leon and I share a problem, too – we both need and wear hearing aids. Thank goodness somebody invented them.  Without my aids, I would be severely hearing impaired – I would live in another world, because I would hear nothing that was going on.

Another pleasure with this visit was that of meeting and making new friends with the couple from Snead that Betty and Leon were visiting.  After all, Snead is not too far from Geraldine.  Here again, the visit ended all too soon and I still can think of questions about others I wish I had asked.  They insisted that we visit them at their winter home in Titusville, FL which is where they met the Snead people.  Then away they went to eat at The Catfish Cabin, a popular eatery in the area. I’ve already started doing the wind work (talking about it) toward a visit to Titusville next winter.  It takes a lot of wind work to get John to leave home!!

Now a phone call came yesterday from a lady, who lives south of Birmingham, and had bought my books.  Her sister is now reading them and insists that they visit the folks at the Windy Knoll.  They’re in my age bracket and can relate to so many things talked about in the books.  Well, this visit is planned and we have something new and different to look forward to.  It’s exciting to live at the home place and experience this type of country living.