Is this a bucket list item or just an I want?

The Good Lord and I sort of have an agreement.   It works this way, when I want or need something I just tell him and then he sort of shows me a way to get what I need.  It has worked for a whole lot of years, even when he gave me something different than what I was hoping to receive.  Many times he just sends me down the right street or manuvers me in front of the answer.  So the last couple of days there is one young girl in particular that I have been thinking about.  I want to know where she ever went and how she and her sisters are today.  I can not tell you her name, but I will outline the story and she or some one who knows may contact me.  Sure hope so.
I worked at the Red Carpet Resturant in Hutchinson, Kansas for a couple named Bob and Thelma Bailey.  It was shortly after I divorced my first husband so it must have been about 1969-1972.  Maybe later.  Lot of foggy parts there in that period.  There was a lady that worked as my helper.  She had 3 lovely daughters.  She lived North of town with her husband.  He was a very handsome man and to all intents and purposes they seemed to have a wonderful marriage, but I do not think that was actually the case.  I am not one to judge and that is not why I am here.  She came to work several times with injuries she explained as "falling off a tractor",  "slipping in the bathtub" and I am not sure just how she broke her arm that time, but I do know it was "all her own fault."
The day finally came when she fell off the porch (as I recall) and wound up a parapalegic and had to be cared for at home.  Her husband hired a woman to take care of her and when she died he married her.  These are enough facts that if you know who I am looking for you can contact me.  I am especially interested in the oldest daughter.  She lived with me for a brief period after her mom died.  I have said lots of prayers for these girls and would dearly love to see them.  The oldest is the one that may remember me.
So there it is, out there for the Universe and God to deal with.  Please know that any information I receive will be held in the strictest confidence and nothing will appear on this blog about what happens after today.  OK,  Big Guy, do your thing!

Report on the Cuban Caravan and Scot's whereabouts.

In a message dated 7/8/2011 10:28:59 P.M. Mountain Daylight Time, kriskross******.com writes:


Scot is in Milwaukee tonight. Sounds like the bus is behaving with a little help from Scot and assorted others. It is getting filled up with aid and a few caravanistas. Scot also participated in a radio interview about the caravan.

More later!

I will make dessert, no problemo!

 

Bret had a little friend pop over last night that we had not seen in years.  So I wondered just what I could throw together for dessert and I quickly took stock and knew Cream Puffs were the answer.  Butter, water, flour, and eggs.  Milk, eggs and sugar for the filling.  No chocolate for the decoration but that was because chocolate is endangered around here with Amanda on the loose!  Oh, and I am currently waiting for the next batch of Vanilla to finish whatever it is it does in there with that Vodka!  Now I am completely out of Vanilla.

If there is one thing I like to do, it is cook.  Kind of wish I had a cooks helper to clean up after me.  That was the fun part of owning my own restaurant.  I could just make the biggest messes and Carolyn or Esther or someone would clean them up for me.  Only one rule every dishwasher has is "Never put a knife in the sink!"  Lady named Edith taught me that one and instilled in me a deep rooted fear of knives in the sink and big tall women named Edith!

You know, I look around at this mess that eBay selling makes of my house and I really miss the restaurant business.  The Red Carpet was the most fun because it was really big and classy.  Someone actually called me a "Chef" when I worked there.  The best part was the big bakery in the back.  I baked when I finished my morning shift.  Not the rolls and stuff because we had a baker for that, but fancy stuff.  I have a whole album full of beautiful wedding cakes.  That was really fun.  I loved making Roses.  It is a real joy to take a plain old cake and slather on the frosting, the flowers, garlands and leaves and end up with a four feet tall masterpiece.  My biggest challenge was a family who had brought their own cake across country , only to drop the second layer.  I managed to match the colors, design and all that so closely that no one knew!

When I had my little "Lou's Kitchen" down town it was all home cooking and the only baking was the Cinnamon rolls and Dinner rolls.  Oh, and the pies.  The lady who had the State Sales Tax job and came to see me on a regular basis loved the Cherry Pie.  Course she also loved the Pecan Pie, Chocolate and  anything that would hold still on the plate.  The biggest problem I had with her is she wore these half glasses that set on the end of her nose and she looked out over them and just made my blood run cold!  See I have this guilt complex and that woman could make me squirm like no one else.  Something about being closely scrutinized through spectacles on the end of someones nose that make me want to confess every wrong thing I had ever done and inflate my sales so I could pay more tax!

But she was a lovely lady and I enjoyed visiting with her, just that she had the power and  I knew that.  My customers were the best.  See, this little restaurant only held about 50 people and set right across the street from McDonald's.  There was a bakery on the street behind and I got all those guys three times a day since it had 3 shifts.  I really miss that place!  

But back to reality.  I got to go do the chore thing and get ready for the day.  Just know those were really good Cream Puffs and if you pop by unexpectedly, I just might make you some! 



Update on Scot for July 4, 2011

As promised.

From: kriskross******.com




Dear All,

On Sunday, Scot got to go to church at his "born into" church, Plymouth Congregational in Minneapolis. Today he worked with artists who painted the bus. I hope to get pictures to share. If you happen to be on Facebook, look for IFCO, Pastors for Peace for more info.

Kris

Lucky you! I will keep you abreast of Scot and his travels!

Well, it is Cuban Caravan time again and today I got this from Kris.  None of the Pueblo Churches were involved this year for some odd reason.  Could it be that Max, Maureen and Faye are no longer prodding them? But my friends, Scot and Kris remain true to the cause. 

Today's missive:  In a message dated 7/2/2011 12:54:13 P.M. Mountain Daylight Time, kriskross*********com writes:


Dear All,


Scot took off yesterday to, once again, drive a bus for the Cuba Caravan. I can't remember if this is the 20th year, or what, that the caravan has brought donated humanitarian aid to Cuba. Anyway, Scot flew to Branson, Missouri where he picked up the bus and got started on the route. A really nice lady named "Akeejee" ( can't spell her name correctly ) gave him some snacks and goodies for the road. There are no riders on the bus with him yet, except for a hitch-hiker.



Today Scot got through DesMoines where he refuled himself and his laptop batteries at the Catholic Workers House. He is headed north and will send updates frequently.



Prayers for safe travel and dependable vehicle much appreciated!

Kris

Koury Truck Stop really is a thing of the past.

I went to Colorado Springs last week to spend the day with Pastor Faye which is always a rare treat for me.  Since I had another engagement in the morning, I was later leaving so it was after lunch when I got there.  We visited a while and I was surprised to learn that they have had less rain then us which is very unusual as they are higher altitude and the mountains usually get more moisture.  But that is a bit of useless information that I just threw in for you.
Then we decided we should venture down the street to the Country Buffet because that is what we always do.  Women are such creatures of habit!  By this time it was getting to be mid afternoon and I decided I should perhaps head back down the highway to home, so I departed.
Soon after I got on the Interstate I found myself behind an 18 wheeler which is nothing new in itself.  I drive with the cruise control set on 72 MPH so I notice if traffic is erratic, and this guy was  just that.  I passed him, but watched in my rear view mirror as he sped up and around me.  I decided to just stay back where I was and watched as he sped away, then slowed, then sped and I knew immediately that the fellow was having trouble staying awake.  So for about 10 miles I kept him on the road with prayers and positive thoughts.  Then I remembered that the Rest Area was coming up so I decided that I would get in front of him and wave him into the Rest Area  and I actually started to put that plan into action.  Then I played that scenario out in my head!  Here we have an old lady trying to flag a trucker over into a Rest Area.  Now, I have never done that, and in my younger days I might have pulled a few shenanigans in my time, but flagging down truckers was never one of them. 
I knew that the next stopping place was Koury's Truck Stop, but I also knew it was closed after being there like forever.  I had intended to tell him that, but I watched as the rest area exit shot by.  Then I watched as he slowed for the exit to the truck stop and watched as he slowly drove down the ramp into the parking lot to join 5 other rigs that were there.  No doubt there were 5 guys catching some much needed sleep in that parking lot as I drove past.
The sight made me very sad as Koury had been there for so many years.  When we first started our excavation business it was one of our first jobs.  A truck had driven into the parking lot and straight into the fuel storage tank.  The fire could be seen clear into town and when it was done there was nothing.  Our job was to clear the area and excavate for the new truck stop.  And when the new truck stop opened it was a mecca for the lonely truckers on I 25.  A southwest adobe design with a restaurant, gift shop, shower area for travellers, a small motel, a tire shop and fuel area and a very high berm around the fuel storage area.  Fred Koury held sway and what a wonderful place it was. 
But, as with all things, time marches on and things change.  Fred Koury's kids grew to adulthood and Fred got tired of working, kind of like you and I.  I think a couple of the kids took over the Truck Stop, but it was not a passion like it had been with Fred and I remember seeing that it had closed and I was a little sad,  but seeing the emptiness when I drove past last week sure brought it home to me.  For so many years it had been a regular stop for the big rigs that travel our highways and now it stands as a grim reminder that time and tide wait for no man.
That night I was very sad as I recalled Frank letting a coyote out of a trap when we were working there.  I remembered Kenny almost stepping on a Rattle Snake when getting out of the truck.  We had gone there for lunch a couple times and it was a real family restaurant  that just happened to be a truck stop.  No greasy spoon there!  Then I remembered something that made me smile.  If you were southbound on I25 you were alright.  Northbound was a different story.  Northbound traffic exited and had to make a left turn under I25.  The opening under the highway to the parking lot was exactly the height to allow a tractor/trailer through  and not one inch higher.  There were several scratch marks on the top from trailers with over inflated tires!  Now if you think I am exaggerating, you do not know me very well, do you?  I will go take a picture the next time I am in that area and post it on here.  Of course to get back on the North bound one had to reverse the procedure.
  So there you have it.  Another milestone in my rear view mirror.  But I figure there are going to be a lot more  of those then there are the images  in front of me.  So, as long as the old gray matter keeps perking along we will have lots to talk about.  See you next time something strikes my fancy!

What is going on in my little pointy head today?

     Well, usually not much since I stay on "auto pilot" most of the time, but today my thoughts are a jumble.  First, I am glad they passed the "Gay Marriage Bill" in New York.  New York has always been on the cutting edge of the Gay Rights Movement, more so than even California in my humble opinion.  I have always been rather on the fence about the word "marriage" in connection with same sex couples, but they never gave me a choice in the matter so of course I supported it all the way.  I could have been satisfied with a different word, but that is just me.  I am very happy that my gay friends are making strides in that area and I celebrate this victory!  Now as long as they are given the same rights as hetrosexual couples it will be a good thing, but there is still that federal government to contend with, isn't there?
    As I look back on my life, I almost cringe at the inhumanity to man that I have seen.  I realize I did not actually "see" slavery, but I did see the Blacks treated as less than second class citizens.  I seen the riots because people of a different color wanted their children to have an education equal to the people they served.  Blacks were chattle which, if you remove the "h" becomes cattle.  Americans went to Africa and kidnapped them and brought them over here and then when they were freed, screamed at them to "Go back to Africa!"  They did not want to come here in the first place, but I am not going to go there this morning.  You are all aware of the Civil Rights struggle.
     Now, is that worse than what was done to women?  How many years or centuries were women deemed to be the property of some man and had no rights what so ever?  Ever study up on how women were treated since the beginning of time?  They could serve the husband, but if he died they were flat out of luck.  Where would I be today if I lived in those times?  Not here on a computer sharing my views with the world, that is for sure. 
     I think the homosexual population is going to be our last vista as far as equality is concerned.  I realize we still have the politically correct things we need to observe and they are more than even I can keep up with sometimes.  Like in our church, we must refer to God in the neutral sense, meaning he is neither  male nor female.  Sorry, I was raised that God is male.  God is God.  Years ago I had a tee shirt that said "When God made man, she was only kidding!"  But I never believed that for even a minute.  I know there are people reading this who will scoff at me, but who cares.  I scoff right back at them because I am a free, white woman and that is what I do.
    Back to the man's inhumanity to man thing for a bit.  I can recall way back when I lived in Nickerson. Kansas and dad would talk about a family of "niggras" that lived on the edge of town.  It was alright if they came to town to buy stuff in the daylight,  but they better not ever try to come to town after the sun went down.  In all honesty, I could not imagine why they would want to go to town in the dark because everything was closed!  I always thought my dad would have made a great KKK member and the only reason I think he wasn't was because mom could not spare the sheet!  I never laid eyes on this elusive family, nor did I ever see the "Gypsy's"  that were camped over to the West of the McQueen place.  And those are the ones I needed to watch because they were the ones that would steal me and go sell me some where if I was not a good little girl.
     Nickerson was a very white community.  Oh, we had our share of odd balls, but we were odd balls ourselves.  Darn good thing that was not illegal or they would have hung us all.  There was Hank Windiate, who was crippled on one side and went to town in a buckboard with a sad looking old horse.  Never married.  Across from him was Jerry and Ora Ayres.  She had a bit of brain damage from an accident when they were first married. He grew enough produce and peanuts to feed the county.  Jake Smith used to be a deputy and sat in a chair all day long cleaning his gun.  Rudolph Reinke lost his wife with the birth of his last daughter.  He raised his last 4 girls alone, was a handyman and did his work while singing at the top of his lungs in German.  We were the first house on that block.  Now this is just one block, and it is only a sampling.  This does not include Whittlin' Joe and Johnny Carson, or the family in the boxcar. 
     My point here is simply that I am not one to throw stones.  My childhood was typical, I feel, as was yours for your time and area.  Did God make anyone of us better than the other?  Is it my job to be judge and jury for mankind?  I rather think not.  I am going to set right here in my little corner of the world and continue to dispense my words of wisdom as they occur to me.  No doubt I will die a lonely old woman, but that is alright too.  When I get to heaven I am going to put on my dancing shoes and dance all over heaven.  Maybe God will let me set on his lap and help judge a few of the hypocrites that come knocking on the door.  Hey, maybe he will let me judge that one guy that told me just last year that I was going to rot in hell and should be burned at the stake for what I believe.  Know what?  I would probably let him in cause I bet he is sorry.  He just grew up on a different street than I did!