December 31, 2009

Tonight Emily had company.  Dwight and Dianne Henn, who were dear friends from Middlesboro were driving through Chattanooga on their way from Texas to Knoxville to visit family.  They only recently learned of Gene's death, and were eager to have a visit with Emily on their way through town.  They arrived just in time for a quick trip to the cemetery.  Emily made a lovely dinner with Alan and Lynn joining before they had to be on the road to make it for a visit with sisters.  Alan and Lynn stayed around visiting, watching TV, and playing Boggle.

Emily began to reminisce about her oldest brother:

Ben - Benjamin Franklin Van Sant.  Today was his birthday.  He was born in 1918 to Vernon Vaughn VanSant and Jessie Milton Jones VanSant.  Ben was gentle, kind, and intelligent person.  A hero to me, his one and only little sister - until Frances Ruth came along in 1933.  He was tall, fair, and handsome - blonde and blue eyed. 

I wanted a Bible when I was about 9 years old.  He said he would give me a Bible if I would memorize a scripture verse.  "Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee."  Psalm 119:11. 

He came home from college - the University of Kentucky at Christmas time.  He had been studying German.  We were fascinated when he sang Silent night to Tom and Me in German!  We thought he was wonderful. 


Taken from the Pulaski County Past

Ben was born at Morehead, Ky., Dec 31, 1918.  He attended Sandy Hook High School, Sandy Hook, Ky., and Clarion High School in Oklahoma City, Okla., and graduated from Mt Victory High School in 1936.  He worked his way through the University of Kentucky and graduated with a B.S. degree in chemistry in 1940.   He was awarded a fellowship in his department the following fall and was working part time on his Master’s degree as well as serving as an instructor when he was called to active duty. He went to the west coast in July, 1941, and from there to the Philippines without ever having a furlough home.  He was taken prisoner when Bataan fell and was on the March of Death.  He had been moved from Davao prisoner camp to Cabanatuan on Luzon from which point he was being transferred to Japan.



The flag in the image above hung in the window of Vernon and Jessie VanSant - one for each of their sons who served in the military. 

December 30, 2009

Emily reported on her day today. 

I went to the National Guard Armory this morning to get help with some military paper work. Sgt O'Steen was very helpful. As I stopped by the Cemetery on the way back home, a crew was there preparing another grave in the row below Gene. The spaces are filling up very quickly.

Immediately after the end of WW II, Gene joined the Army Reserves and continued as an active reservist for 27 years. He felt so strongly that the sacrifices he and his fellow service men endured for our country's freedom should always be protected.

It is beginning to rain and I am reminded that Gene remarked one time, "Do you realize that God created all the water we have in the beginning." I am also reminded that I need to drink more water! Water is such an important part of our earth and us!

I had dinner with Lynn and Alan tonight. She had made a delicious beef stew with fried cornbread. I brought some broccoli slaw. Dinner was good!

December 29, 2009

Emily's sister Joyce came by today at lunchtime.  Her daughter, Marcia, came for a visit from Colorado Springs.  Apparently flying into Nashville is one of those Southwestern deals that's hard to pass up.  So on the way back to Nashville, they detoured through Chattanooga, so that Marcia could have a visit.  Emily made a lovely lunch of homemade chicken salad with croissants and fruit, and there were lots of Christmas dessert options.  She still had some wonderful homemade cookies as well as some pecan pie. Lynn and Alan joined them for lunch, and Liga stopped by for a quick visit on her way to work.

Emily has an appointment with an army representative tomorrow morning who has helped her file some of the required paperwork regarding Gene's army pension.  She had a phone conversation with someone who was trying to tell her what she was still missing.  She said they kept saying things like "we have your F52 paper work, but not your SP467".  She had no idea what they were talking about, so she's going back to her army representative to have him help her figure out what forms she needs to complete. 

December 28, 2009

Today Emily shared a story that is making the rounds on e-mail.

When I was a kid, my mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. And I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work.
  
On that evening so long ago, my mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed! Yet all my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my mom and ask me how my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that biscuit and eat every bite!

When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my mom apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits. And I'll never forget what he said: "Honey, I love burned biscuits."

Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, "Your Momma put in a hard day at work today and she's real tired. And besides - a little burnt biscuit never hurt anyone!"

Life is full of imperfect things....and imperfect people. I'm not the best at hardly anything, and I forget birthdays and anniversaries just like everyone else.  But what I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each others faults - and choosing to celebrate each others differences - is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship.
  
So Please pass me a biscuit,  and yes, the burnt one will do just fine.!.!.!.!     

And that's my prayer for you today. That you will learn to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and lay them at the feet of God.  Because in the end, He's the only One who will be able to give you a relationship where a burnt biscuit isn't a deal-breaker!

God Bless You.....  Now, and Always.... 

December 27, 2009

Emily shares a few thoughts on this first Christmas without Gene.


Christmas has been special in a new way without Gene, because of the sadness in our hearts and the blessing of precious memories of family Christmas times with him.

Steve,Pat and twins Meredith and Patrick (now college juniors) arrived from Roswell, GA for breakfast on Wednesday morning. They attended The 11:00PM Christmas Eve Services with me. It is so comforting to have their love and support.

Having drawn names with Steve's family, I had much joy in getting my Great Grand Daughter, nine months old Madison Claire McSwain's name! I was delighted to make a little blue velvet lace trimmed dress for her Christmas gift! Gene would have been so proud to see her beautiful blue eyes shine and dance in the pretty little dress.

I am blessed to have loving and supportive family and friends to help me as I experience a really different and difficult life change without my beloved husband. A friend who recently lost her husband handed me this poem this morning at church. It is attributed to Wanda Benke. 

I see the countless Christmas trees
around the world below
With tiny lights like Heavens stars
reflecting in the snow.

The site is so spectacular
please wipe away your tears
For I am spending Christmas
with Jesus Christ this year.

I hear the many Christmas songs
people hold so dear
But that sound of music can't compare
with the Christmas choir up here.

For I have no words to tell you
the joy their voices bring
For it is beyond description
to hear the angels sing.

I know how much you miss me,

I see the pain you bear,

But I am spending Christmas

With Jesus Christ this year. 

I can't tell you of the splendor
or the Peace in this place
Can you imagine Christmas with our
Savior face to face.

I'll ask him to lift your spirit

As I tell him of your love, 

So then pray for one another

As you lift your eyes above.

So please let your heart be joyful,
And let your spirit sing.
For I'm spending Christmas in Heaven
And walking with the King !

December 26, 2009

This morning after a late morning breakfast Emily and Steve's family made a trip to the cemetery to take a potted plant for Gene. The cemetery was particularly beautiful.   At the entrance there was a beautiful display of wreaths from the Wreaths Across America program.   At the grave site, Meredith commented about how beautiful the cemetery is, and how especially lovely the spot where Gene is buried is. 

After the visit to the cemetery, everyone went on their way - the twins drove back to Atlanta; Steve and Pat headed to Kentucky to visit her brothers and plant a tree at the cemetery where Clarence and Edith are buried; and Alan and Lynn headed back home to rest up for the afternoon.   Emily spent the afternoon doing a few things around the house. She spoke with her sisters, took care of some business, and rested up a bit.  It's been a busy few days down on Tuxedo Avenue.  Emily will have a few quiet days coming up, although she's expecting a visit from her sister Joyce, and Steve and Pat will probably stop back by on their way back to Atlanta.

December 25, 2009

Today Emily had a Christmas celebration at her Chattanooga home. 
Steve, Pat, Meredith, and Patrick were there.  Alan and Lynn, and Mia and Clyde joined them for a late breakfast.  Pat made her traditional Christmas Breakfast Casserole, accompanied by freshly made Honey Nut Stollen, a great variety of Krispy Kreme Donuts (Krispy Kreme is just down the road!), bacon, and Fried Apple Pies made with apples from the apple tree in Pat's Mom's back yard. 

After brunch, everyone sat around and visited, napped and talked.  By mid afternoon the kitchen was buzzing again as the women were putting together the late afternoon feast for Christmas dinner.  By that time Alan had gone to get Mommy Anne and Liga and Valdis had joined the fun.  The kids had great fun playing Nertz again in the afternoon, while the adults swapped stories and visited.

It was a lovely day...a day when everyone sorely missed Gene, but were keenly aware of the great blessing to have had him as husband, father, father-in-law, grandfather... 

Today was a lovely day at Emily's.  Steve and Pat brought her a weeping cherry tree, so Liga and Patrick got that planted for her in the front yard. 

There was lots of package wrapping, running out to the store for last minute purchases, and general goodwill all day long.  Lynn came down in the afternoon and helped Pat learn to make a Honey Nut Stollen, her favorite of the Christmas breads that Lynn makes.  Pat did a great job and says she's ready to try it on her own now.

Alan came down for an informal dinner.  Afterwards there was a very fast paced card game called Nertz going on around the family room table! They had two teams going - apparently Meredith plays this at school fairly often.  There was a call to play again tomorrow! 

By the way, the Stollen didn't even get completely cooled before it got cut and sampled.  It was so good....Pat did a great job on it!  

Emily and Steve's family went to the 10:00 evening service at First Cumberland Presbyterian, then home to get some sleep before tomorrow.

December 23, 2009

Steve, Pat, Meredith and Patrick arrived this morning to have breakfast with Emily.  They brought Nutmeg, their precious little doggie along for the visit this time.  Emily has been so looking forward to having them here for a few days.  Steve had some work to do nearby and spent most of the afternoon out of town.  Emily had made previous arrangements to take Pat to see the Dondero Castle.  Patrick and Meredith went with them.  Emily has said on so many occasions that Mrs. Dondero is such a delightful hostess and always so gracious.  They all seemed to have a really good time.  Pat said she kept thinking that it sure was a lot of space to keep clean! 

This evening Steve and Pat helped Emily make dinner, and Alan, Lynn, and Valdis joined them.   After dinner the three kids got the tree in and started decorating it.  The trunk of the tree was slimmer than the screws on the tree stand, so after the kids worked around on it for about 15 or 20 minutes they decided that they needed something to wedge between the trunk and the screws.  Once they got that figured out, they got the lights on and Meredith put on a few ornaments.  Meredith kept telling them they needed to pay attention because someday they'd need to do this while their wives watched.  They didn't do it all because Liga was coming by after work to help put on the finishing touches. 

There are several packages already to put under or around the tree.  One of them is especially large - it's probably over four feet high, and it belongs to Steve.  He was guessing what it might be, and it was an echo of Gene who always, no matter the size or shape of the package would feel it and say he thought it might be socks, because he really needed some new socks.   Steve said he knew the box was way too big for the coffee pot he needed, so he couldn't figure out what it could be.

December 22, 2009

Emily is working on a sewing project for Madison Claire.  When she was with Steve's family over the Thanksgiving holiday, they drew names to exchange Christmas presents, and Emily got Madison's name.  When the gift giving is over, we'll have to make a picture and post it so that everyone can see!

Emily is planning to have a nice Christmas Day celebration at her house.  Steve and Pat with Meredith and Patrick; Alan and Lynn with Mommy Anne, Liga, and Valdis; and Mia and Clyde will be there to help celebrate.  The tree is up, but still on the patio just awaiting the grandchildren to bring it in and get it decorated.  She has spent the day working on decluttering and tending to more of the business end of things, as well as some last minute shopping.

This morning Emily was especially touched by her devotional.  When Edmund Hillary and his Sherpa guide became the first people to reach the top of Mt. Everest, the guide did not know how to use the camera.  So the picture of the first person to stand atop Mt. Everest was taken by Hillary, and was of his Sherpa guide.  This metaphor was applied to the church at Corinth which was split into factions.  Paul reminded the congregation that in doing God's work it does not matter who gets the credit - just as Hillary had told the media that it was not important to talk about who topped Mt. Everest first, because it was the work of the two of them as a team that had made it possible.

December 21, 2009

Lynda is the oldest daughter of Gene's youngest sister Mary.  She and her mother made several trips to Chattanooga to see Gene when he was at Erlanger and again when he was moved to Kindred.  "Uncle Gene" had a very special place in his heart for all his nieces and nephews.  Here's an excerpt from an e-mail Lynda sent to Lynn.

--------------------------------

I hope you and your family have a  MERRY CHRISTMAS. I know it will be very hard on everyone, but it sounds as if you all are starting off in the right way.  It is a wonderful thing to remember and share the great blessing you all have shared in the past.  You know Uncle Gene is still there in a part of each and everyone of you all.  When I look at Russ I can see him in his actions, the way he talks, and even how he walks.  In Steve I see the twinkle in his face and smile, and that laugh of Uncle Gene's.  And in you I see the dedication to your work and the way you care for others - the love you so freely give to your children, and a very strong bond for your family.  So I hope you all know how much I care and love you.

December 20, 2009

Emily went to church today and then spent the afternoon tying up a few loose ends of shopping at WalMart. 
She's also still working on getting her household Christmas decorations just the way she wants them.

She is looking forward to having Christmas at her house in Chattanooga.  When Gene and Emily first moved to Chattanooga, they were so close to Atlanta that they usually drove down to spend Christmas and a few days before and after with Steve and Russ and their families.  It will be really nice for her to have the Christmas Day celebration here.  

This will be an especially poignant celebration, but Emily is focusing on remembering the goodness of life with Gene, and the message of the Christmas season. 

December 19, 2009

Emily is excited about Steve and his family being here next week for a Christmas visit.

She has been remembering some of her earliest Christmas memories: 

When we moved to the big farm house at Elliot County, I was 4 or 5 years old. It was a big pre-civil war 2 story house, with great fireplaces upstairs and down.  On Christmas night I woke up to have to go to the bathroom, and Daddy was helping me.  I could see into the room where the Christmas tree was, and I was very curious about what was going on because I could see things under the tree and wanted to see what was going on, but Daddy told me to go on back to bed - that there was nothing going on in there.  That memory is pretty fascinating, I don't remember the next day actually opening the presents or what we got but I have a very clear memory of waking in the night and seeing something going on and wanting to know what it was. 



Grandmother VanSant (Mama) and Aunt Ruby always made sure that all of the children had special presents for Christmas.  Aunt Ruby was working as a teacher in Oklahoma and probably financed the gifts and Mama was probably behind picking out the items.  The package would come sometime before Christmas and kept hidden.  On Christmas night after all the children were in bed, Daddy and Mother would put the presents out under the tree.  


The children all hung one of their very own stockings up for Santa to fill.  We usually got an orange, an apple, a few nuts, and a stick of candy.  Sometimes there might be a small toy.  Once when the package from Mama and Aunt Ruby didn't arrive by Christmas, the gifts were pretty slim.  Mama and Aunt Ruby would usually send dolls for the girls and a game like checkers or a ball for the boys.  I still have the last doll I would get, a Shirley Temple doll.



Christmas was a family celebration and there usually wasn't company.  We had something like a Sunday dinner meal, and later in the day we might make popcorn or chocolate fudge.  

The tree was always a cedar tree.  It would be decorated with tinsel, icicles, and roping.  Before there was electricity, Daddy would rig up a battery to run the string of lights on the tree.  


In the early elementary grades, we would draw names at school and have some kind of play or program at the school. A girl might get a handkerchief from a boy who drew her name.

December 18, 2009

Emily spent the afternoon at the hospital with Alan while Lynn had her port removed in an oupatient surgical procedure.

Later this evening she was planning to go to dinner with Gene's cousin Mia and then work on more Christmas decorating at the house.

She's got a really cute little garden themed Christmas tree in the front den window.  Betsy sent it.   It's got little rakes, and hats, and other garden implements on it.  Really cute!

December 17, 2009

Today Emily spent her afternoon and evening attending to Lynn. 

A little before noon, she went with Lynn to her round of treatments for the afternoon.  First she sat patiently in the radiation waiting room; then a quick bite of late lunch at the Chick-fil-A,  in the Erlanger lobby; then up to Dr. Schlabach's office for Herceptin, Lovenox, and a consultation.  She read and napped a little.

This evening she made dinner for Lynn and Alan, and Valdis joined them.  She had bought a Christmas tree the other day, so Valdis hauled it around to the back patio, and helped her put it into the stand and get it watered good.  She's not going to bring it in to the house to shed pine needles all over everything until the grandkids get here to decorate it; but now it's up and just waiting. 

The tree came with nylon netting around it, making it much easier to ship without damage.  Emily, amazing Emily, said - "What should I do with this netting so that it doesn't end up...."  She didn't even finish the sentence, but it was apparent, end up harming fish, or animals, or the environment.  It took another few moments of  conversation before she decided what to do. So there she stood tying knots about every 4 inches along this 8 or 10 feet of nylon netting - just second nature like composting, and recycling, and reusing. 

December 16, 2009

This evening Emily has been thinking of past Christmases and shared this:

Remembering one of our first Christmases. 

When we lived in West Liberty, KY in 1950, Russell was two years old - his third birthday coming on February 6th.  Gene was working for the University of KY Extension as an Assistant County Agent.  He had graduated from Berea College, majoring in Agriculture in May of that year.  Lynn and Steve were not on the scene yet. 

We had a live Christmas tree and put it in the hallway of the one bedroom upstairs apartment where we lived in West Liberty.  I made some paper ornaments including some tinsel icicles. I explained to Russell that we decorated the tree for Jesus' Birthday.  He began singing "Happy Birthday to Jesus".  It was a simple celebration with none of our family nearby.  We continued to have a live Christmas tree.  So as I look forward to Christmas with a visit from Steve, Pat, and our youngest grandchildren, twins Meredith and Patrick, (almost 21), and Lynn, Alan, and their youngest living nearby, I will relive some of the many special Christmas time with Gene and our children.

I bought the tree yesterday and hope to delegate decorating it to our grandchildren this time:  So Meredith, Liga, Patrick, and Valdis, Be ready to deck the halls.  Alan said he even knows where we can get some mistletoe.  

We will miss Gene so very much, but we will have him with us in our hearts, and I hope we can focus on the many wonderful blessings God has sent our way through the years; and most especially the marvelous gift of God's plan for our salvation.

December 15,2009

Emily is spending lots of time dealing with the business end of Gene's death.  That makes this Christmas especially difficult. But today she picked out her Christmas tree and brought it home - of course it's a live one.  She says that she is continuing her tradition of having pine needles all over the house.  Steve, Pat, Meredith, and Patrick are all going to be here for a good visit over the Christmas Holiday.   Emily is planning for the grandchildren - Meredith, Patrick, Liga, and Valdis to decorate the tree.  She says it will be a lot like years ago when all the children came home for Christmas with her and Gene.  It will be a new, poignant memory.  She's been spending some time thinking about how Christmas will be.  Wonder if someone will make sure that there's a package of socks under the tree for one of the men.  Gene always wanted socks .  He always wanted something that was within the reach of his children's ability to provide, and whatever he got, he made them feel like it was the best present ever. 

Emily has thought lots of all the people who have sent memorials.  That has been a great comfort to her.

This afternoon, she took care of getting the outside faucets covered up.  That's a chore that Gene would have done or that they would have done together.  He often teased and said he needed "Mom" to supervise or he'd be sure to get it wrong!  

Once again Emily made dinner for Lynn and Alan.  This time she brought it up to their house because Lynn is too tired to be doing much, even going a few steps and a drive for dinner. 

December 14, 2009

Emily had a doctor's appointment today.  Dr. Cannon wanted to check out a pain that she is having under her scapula accompanied by a cough, so she sent her for an X-Ray.  Afterwards, she did some business at Social Security and took care of some other lingering business from her joint accounts with Gene.

This evening she made soup to share with Lynn and Alan, and some of her wonderful fried cornbread!  It is her very own made up recipe. 

3 medium leeks chopped fine, some green included.  Saute with water and a little bit of butter. 
Sauteed 4 portobella mushrooms in butter (sliced)  added to leeks
Cooked 2 large potatoes (peeled and chopped small) in salted water
1 1/2 cup finely chopped cabbage.
1 carrot chopped fine

Cover raw potatoes with water let it boil fast, Add chopped cabbage and carrots.    Let cook for about 10 minutes Then add seasonings as you wish (Add salt if needed, add a pinch of red pepper.)

Add leeks and 1 rib of celery chopped fine. Cook for an additional 10 min.
Add a teaspoon of dried marjoram (it's best if you grew it in an herb garden and harvested it and dried it yourself)

Add 2 cups of organic chicken broth.  Let simmer until ready to eat.

Serve with pan fried cornbread and drink of choice.

December 13, 2009

Emily had a busy day today.  She is getting up early and was up by 5:30, so she's got plenty of time to do things before going to Sunday School and Church. 

She had promised a friend from church that she'd go to help her deliver poinsettias.  They went with the lunch bunch, a group from the church who go to lunch frequently.  They went to the Macaroni Grill this time.  Bruce drover them on the church bus.  After lunch she went with the friend to deliver the two poinsettias.  They went to one home and to a nursing home to deliver them. 

It was after 4 in the afternoon before she got home from all that.  Mia came by to visit her and helped her put some greenery from the cyprus tree in the back yard, on a wreath for the front door.  She got the star that Gene made for the house lighted.  It's on the front wall right near his bedroom windows. 

She also went to visit with Lynn for a few minutes in the evening. 

December 12, 2009

Pat stopped by for lunch today on her way back from Nashville.  Emily made a nice lunch to share with Lynn and Pat.  It was a lovely visit. 

Pat had a great visit helping take care of Madison.
Check out the doings at the McSwain Family.

December 11,2009

This morning Emily had relaxing morning.  She got out some Christmas decorations, wrote some Christmas cards while her Christmas music played in the background.  Before she knew it, it was time for her to get ready to go to the Christmas Luncheon for the McAllister Sunday School Class.  That was a lovely event with good companionship.

This afternoon, she made dinner for Lynn and Alan and decorated cookies to take to the evening church program.  She put them on a plate and decorated them with holly.  She didn't trim the holly bushes yet because she knew she'd want to use it - and she has used it all over the place.  It's in her window box, on the big window that runs across the front porch, she used it in the arrangement for Dad's headstone the other day, and of course today it was on that plate of cookies.

This evening Alan and Lynn joined her for a light supper of potato soup and cornbread.  She ran out of cornmeal and so she used some spoon bread mix that she had - sort of like Julia Child saying a real cook never decides not to fix a recipe just because she doesn't have all the right ingredients!  Of course Gene used to say that Emily couldn't give you a recipe that you could replicate because everything she made came out a little different every time. Good he would remind you, but not ever the same twice.

After dinner Emily, Lynn, and Alan went to the Southwest Players Christmas program at the Church.  It was a dessert theater.  We got almost to the church and had to turn around to go back and get the tickets.   And you know that plate of cookies beautifully decorated with holly  -- they got forgotten too -- both times!!
The program was quite nice.  It was a combination of comedy and Christmas story.  There was a pretty nice crowd and most people were laughing and seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Emily wants everyone to know that she is so appreciative for the gracious attentiveness from her friends and family.  She has stayed busy with lots of activities, and is pleased to hear from children, grandchildren, and neices and nephews on a regular basis.

December 10, 2009

Today Emily had another very busy day!

She had a PEO meeting in the morning.  Emily became involved with PEO when she moved to Chattanooga.  Friendship is the cornerstone of P.E.O. – it is the legacy left by our Founders and it thrives in our unique Sisterhood. P.E.O. exists to be a source of encouragement and support for women to realize their potential in whatever worthwhile endeavor they choose. (taken from the PEO website).  Her sister Frances has been a member of P.E.O. in Lexington for many years, and when Emily moved to Chattanooga where there was a chapter available, Frances encouraged her to join.  She did, and it has proved to be a wonderful opportunity for her to make new friends among women who share many of the same interests.  This morning she accidently left her camera at the meeting, and someone brought it to her and left it on the outside window sill while she was out this afternoon. She still hasn't figured out who it was!

This afternoon was the first meeting of the Hospice grief counseling group that is being hosted by First Presbyterian Church.  There were 9 women in attendance, and Emily said it felt like group therapy and that she wasn't really sure it was what she needed.  They will meet one more time, and then take a break until after the New Year.  Maybe by that time, she will know whether or not she wants to continue with the group.

This afternooon Amy came over and brought her little sister Grace.  They worked on Emily's yard and the leaves.  She is very pleased when Amy comes to work, because not only does she get help with things she needs, she also has some very pleasant company. 

December 9th

Emily didn't have to go to school today!  Even after she retired, every time schools were canceled, Gene would tease her about not having to go to school.

This morning Emily woke at 5:30 and just got up.  She didn't have the television on nor did she read the newspaper.  So she didn't know that roads had washed out and schools all around the region had been canceled until Alan stopped by and let her know.  

She went to lunch at O'Charlie's with one of her good church friends who has also lost her husband. Emily said that her friend just wanted to give her an opportunity to talk and she wanted to be there to listen.  It was a lovely gesture from someone who has been through the grief of losing a spouse.  Emily was very appreciative. 

This afternoon, Emily got outside and cut some cypress and holly and decorated the window box and the big span of windows that go across the front porch.  She then ran to the store to pick up some items that she needs to make cookies for her PEO cookie exchange tomorrow.  When she returned, the Terminex Man was waiting for her.  He had already treated the outside of the house and was waiting for her to get home.  It turned out that he didn't need to treat the inside this time, but he did help her carry in her groceries!!!

She went to church for dinner and the Wednesday night service this evening.  It is a good group of people and she and Gene made many friends and went very regularly.  It's good that she's beginning to go to that again. 

Tonight she has to make those cookies.  She's planning to make star shaped almond cookies for the PEO cookie exchange tomorrow.  Everyone is supposed to bring 4 dozen cookies.  Then they have a few of them for dessert, and everyone who brings cookies gets to take home some of each.  What a fun activity to do with friends. 

December 8, 2009

Emily woke at about 6:30 this morning and decided to go ahead and get up since she was awake.  She spent the morning with her devotionals and her breakfast and before long, the morning had slipped away and it was time for her to get ready for the Sunshine Club outing.  She provided a narrative of the rest of the day. 

On this rainy cool day some 30 or so Sunshine Club members congregated at First Cumberland Presbyterian Church where Bruce performed an organ concert of favorite Christmas music.    Then we took a bus ride. (Bruce is not only the organist, and the organizer for the Sunshine Club, he's also the bus driver!).  We arrived at the Castle in Eagle Bluff where the Dondero's reside.  Our hostess, Helene Dondero greeted us as we entered the beautiful home.  



Bruce and Scott Carver served a delicious lunch of Parmesian Chicken, steamed vegetables, and rice.  This was followed by pecan tarts with whipped cream.  


The view from the very warm and comfortable home of fog rising from Lake Chickamauga as we looked over the bluff was impressive. So a wet, rainy chilly day gave way to a cheerful happy event.  What a blessing to have such an outing. 



Mia and Clyde came by at supper time with taco soup.  Lynn and Alan came by and joined us for a good supper and a nice visit.

December 7, 2009

Well, today was a PEO companion day.   This morning Emily drove herself to her PEO book club across town on Mountain Creek Road.  They had read The Professor and the Mad Man.  Emily didn't find the book and so she had not read it, but the group all said that it was a really good book and gave her the assignment to read it. After book club she came home and another of her PEO sisters picked her up and took her up to a late luncheon date on Lookout Mountain at the home of yet another PEO sister.  They enjoyed a hot chicken salad and a fruit and cheese salad as well as a dessert and some good companionship.  It was after 3 this afternoon before she even got back home.

Emily spoke with both boys today.  It's a great comfort to her to have regular communication with them.  Steve reported on his pancreatitis.  The doctor had done an ultrasound thinking that his gall bladder might be a part of the problem.  Since that didn't show anything, he ordered an MRI which Steve had done today.  Of course, he won't get any results until his doctor's appointment. He did tell her that he's feeling pretty good.  She had a good visit with Russ on the phone as well.  He gave her a good progress report about Emerald Beach Property Management.  She was really pleased to see some of the day to day working of the business when she visited over Thanksgiving.
 
Emily's days go by very quickly she says - and often at the end of the day she says that she can't really see what she's done.  She has committed to working on her personal organization, and becoming more disciplined.  She is working every day on clearing some of the clutter out of her house and organizing her personal things.

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Sixty eight years ago today the Japanese Imperial Army launched surprise attacks on the United States.  The primary target was the Phillipine Islands and the U.S. Navy at Pearl Harbor.   Lieutenant Ben VanSant (1918 - 1945), the oldest brother of Emily, Frances, and Joyce was in the Phillipines training native troops. He was shot and left for dead before becoming a POW.  He survived the Bataan Death March and died on a Japanese ship that was transporting POWs to the Japanese Mainland near the end of the war.
                                                         courtesy Bob Edwards

December 6, 2009

Emily had a busy day today.   She attended church, where she was the elder of the week.  That means that she was responsible for reading the announcements.  She had not remembered that it was her week and said that she was not ready. This evening she had soup and cheese toast with Alan and Lynn - and some of Joyce's pecan pie for dessert.  As she talked about her upcoming week, it appears that she has a very heavy social schedule coming up.  She thinks she may have to get a calendar to write down her various appointments and engagements!  She may have depended on Gene to keep up with the things they were going to do together, so she only had to remember the things that she was doing by herself.

Earlier this afternoon, she called Gene's cousin Mia (Maria Hansford) to come over and help her with the star that Gene built for their house/yard.   She has it up now, but hasn't checked the lights yet.  That will happen sometime this week. One of the Christmas carols that Gene really loved is below:

There's a Song in the Air

There's a song in the air!
There's a star in the sky:
There's a mother's deep prayer
and a baby's low cry.
And the star rains its fire 
while the beautiful sing, 
For the manger of Bethlehem 
cradles a King!


There's a tumult of joy 
o'er the wonderful birth, 
For the virgin's sweet boy
is the Lord of the earth. 
Ay! the star rains its fire
while the beautiful sing
for the manger of Bethlehem
cradles a King!


In the light of that star
lie the ages impearled; 
and that song from afar has swept over the world
Every hearth is aflame
and the beautiful sing
in the homes of the nations
that Jesus is King!


We rejoice in the light, 
and we echo the song 
that comes down trough the night
from the heavenly throng. 
Ay! we shout to the lovely
evangel they bring
and we greet in his cradle 
our Savior and King!

December 5, 2009

Today Joyce and Daniel Judge were on their way through Chattanooga going from David's where they saw Allison as Alice in Alice in Wonderland.  They were driving almost straight through to go to Berea to hear Gaelyn in a Christmas concert.  They stopped to see Emily and had lunch and then went to the cemetery for a visit.  Emily made a beautiful arrangement using a dozen roses she bought and holly and nandina berries that she had at home.  It was cold and crisp at the cemetery with a bit of wind.  The ground was wet and muddy, and there have been a good many graves added.  It is a beautiful place, and each season will have it's own beauty.

This evening she made a lovely dinner for Alan, Lynn, and Liga. She bought lamb chops and made baked potatoes and peas.  In addition she got that shelf hung in the hall bathroom.  Plato has been hanging around the house the last couple of days.  This evening he was curled up on Gene's recliner.  Emily has put a rug there to make it comfortable for him.

December 4, 2009

Emily got her new glasses ordered.  She is suffering greatly from sticker shock!  She wanted to use her same frames again, but the bridge piece was broken.  When she asked if they could use her old frames and just replace the bridge, they said they could no longer get parts for those glasses.  She's used the frames about four times and even skipped getting her prescription filled a couple of times.  Anyway she's got them ordered and they should be in one day next week. 

Today, Plato came and spent some time with her.  It was good for her to see him and know that he escaped the ravages of the stray dog that was in the neighborhood the other day.  It's good that he's still around.  Patches kind of put him on the run; she didn't really want to share Emily and Gene with anyone, so he may hang around a little more now.  Although it might be hard to compete with his day job.  About 5 houses down, on the main road is an attorney's office - during the day, he goes down and plays lawyer in their office. They are especially taken with him and at one point wanted to adopt him.  At any rate, these days he's splitting his time between Emily's and his work with the attorney.

This evening Emily went to dinner with Lynn and Alan at I-Hop.  It was a nice evening.  She tried the chicken florentine crepes, and ended up taking home about half for a lunch tomorrow or the next day.  Lynn and Emily both remarked that had Gene been there, the next thing we knew, he'd be making his variation of chicken florentine crepes!

December 3, 2009

Today was a sad day for Emily.  Her calico cat, Patches, was killed in the early morning hours by a stray dog in the neighborhood. 

This morning, Emily woke early to get ready for a doctor appointment.  She said that she wondered to herself why Patches wasn't sitting in the window to greet her as she did nearly every morning.  She had a call from the doctor's office telling her that her appointment needed to be rescheduled and so she didn't go out quite as early as she had planned.  When she did venture out to get the paper a little after 8, the bench that sits under the kitchen window up on the front porch had been knocked off and was down partly on the steps and partly on the grass.  Her first thought was that someone had tried to break in or was trying to vandalize the house.  Her neighbor told her that a big brown dog had been on the loose in the neighborhood.  She had heard some noise on her front porch about 1:00 in the morning and when she went to the door to investigate and opened her door, the dog ran inside and tried to get to her little tiny dogs.  She was able to get it out of her house, and this morning found Patches in the side yard between her house and Emily's.  Late this afternoon Valdis and his friend Geoff, went by and buried Patches for her.  She's awfully sad about this and very concerned about Plato.  Plato often goes down to "work" at the lawyers office on the corner and often stays gone for a couple of days, but with this dog on the prowl, it's a big concern that he's not been home. 

At lunch today, Emily went out with some women from the church.  It doesn't seem to be a formal thing, but a few of the ladies who like to hang out together go to lunch sometimes.  She is also going to begin attending a Hospice group on grieving at her church next week.  There are several women in the church who have recently become widows, so it will be a group who already know one another and it will be in the comfortable surroundings of her church home. 

This evening Emily and Lynn went to Elmcroft for a Holiday Dinner with Mommy Anne.  Alan was planning to go as well, but he was running a fever this morning and decided it would be best not to go and take the chance of bringing germs in.   It was a lovely buffet dinner with entertainers to provide music.  The couple called themselves "That man and Robin"  They were very entertaining. All in all it was a lovely evening.

December 2, 2009

Emily spent a rainy day at home organizing and working on her business.

She worked on files, made some business calls, and continued working on some of the things that have to be attended to pertaining to Dad's finances.  I know it is sometimes overwhelming for her.

She still is searching for her "new reality" as she calls it - and this is the time when her support system really is kicking in.  Her church activities, her PEO sisters, her neighbors, friends, and family have all managed to spend time with her, invite her to various activities and spend time with her. 

She also enjoys getting those old fashioned letters and cards from folks.

Tomorrow she has an appointment with her primary care physician.  It will be good to get a check up and get news about that. 

December 1, 2009

Emily had a very full day today.

She said that she didn't sleep well last night and she was up really early.  She thought that she had a doctor's appointment with her primary care physician early this morning, but when she called it isn't until Thursday, so she had some morning time at home.

Later in the day she had a Women's Ministry Meeting at First Cumberland and seemed to enjoy that group.  The women that she has met at church have become good friends.  They never fail to comment on how sweet she is or how much they think of her.

This afternoon she had an appointment with her dermatologist - well, she thought she did!  When she got there she discovered that her appointment was really tomorrow, but the doctor saw her anyway and she had a few places on her face "burned off".  

Tonight Emily was a guest at the Ladies Annual Christmas Tea at Silverdale Baptist Church. It is a big church and she said there were about 150 or 200 women there.  She enjoyed her evening out and didn't get home until a little after 9:00 o'clock.