Sheila’s Potpourri Two
This month is the month for many birthdays for family members. Beamon reminds anyone who will listen that he turns 88 years old. On the first Sunday of the month Chestnut Drive Baptist Church recognizes folks having a birthday or a wedding anniversary at the beginning of the morning service. I have noticed that some months many people stand for their happy day and more couples were married in December. That could be attributed to we have older folks in the congregation so they could have married when World War II broke out. Happy Birthday to Todd Swearingen, Teresa Joyce Hancock Moore, Frank Clark, Jim Charanza Young and her son Jordan Young, Brandi Reid Lankford, Syble Russell Mangrum and her brother Joe Russell. Friends Lorrie and Nell Addington and Lane Lowery will add another year to their age too.
Henry and Linda Pinner came from Nederland to attend the “Ma Pinner Reunion” at Rocky Hill Baptist Church. Henry said there were 73 people who came to remember Etta Pinner who passed away at 100 years. Mrs. Pinner was married to the late Reagan Pinner and their children were the late Archie Pinner, J.D. (Puncher) Pinner and Mack Pinner. Surviving her are sons Kenneth Pinner and Henry Pinner and their sister Dorothy Pinner Oates. Anytime I talked to Mrs. Pinner she was always serene and never said anything negative about anyone.
After she got unable to be out and about she and I corresponded by letter. She was from the old school when people answered letters and when she got unable to do the writing herself, she asked one of the granddaughters-in-law to write for her. She was truly a friend.
Henry also told me that his wife Linda baby brother Charles Forrest, who lived in Kentucky, had passed away. His siblings are James Owen Forrest, twins Nell Arnold Settle and Dell Morehead, Linda Pinner and the late Robert Forrest. Their parents were Inez and Owen Forrest.
Coming back across the grocery store one of the meat cutters spoke to me and we discussed the sun or lack of any sunshine for several days and his voice sounded like someone I had heard before so I asked his name. He was Lane Havard whom I had not seen since he worked at Boots Grocery with Randy and all the other folks who were employed either in the grocery store or the furniture store. Lane has a yard mowing service and stays busy when the grass goes to growing. Several times while we were talking I could hear Carl Havard in his voice. Lane and his brother Shane are the sons of C.J. Havard and Bonnie Havard. C.J. and Carl Havard were brothers.
Michael was telling me at Loper’s Pharmacy that the twins birthday was that day but the party would be on the weekend. When Brittany and Bellamy woke up and were reminded it was their special day Michael had to sing happy birthday to one of them and then again for the other one.
Granddaughter Blaire Lankford will graduate in May from A&M and has been accepted to A&M for several more years to become a pharmacist. Young women have so many more choices now to study in different fields of work. When we graduated in the long ago days, teaching and going into nursing were popular areas to enter for work away from home. And I am not saying there was anything wrong with either job but no everybody wanted to be a nurse or teacher. Back then it was rare to find a male teaching in elementary school, principals and superintendents yes but not in the classroom. It was also unusual to see a male nurse but many choose to work in that job now and are very good at it.
Blaire is the daughter of Brandi and Doug Lankford; granddaughter of Leslie and Patrick Richards, Ted and Charlene Lankford and Lynn and Rebecca Reid; great-grandparents Bettie Westbrook and Beamon and Sheila Scogin.
Dean White got MeLinda to cut his hair and he and I talked shoulder surgery. He is in the rehab phase of his surgery and declared it had been a painful ordeal. Beamon had his worked on years ago and I could have had the repairs on mine because I knew how painful his was, but once he had surgery and rehab he has never had any problems with it.
Tommie Lowery, Betty Truett and her sister Marilee Reeves, Garvis Brookshire Baldree, Betty Greer and Barbara Dupree enjoyed visiting while they were eating lunch at Junction 58.
Randy and Eileen have been home in Tennessee for awhile but have kept busy between showers of rain. Their weather has mimicked ours with cold, rain, a bit of sleet and very little snow. They have been busy cleaning out and getting rid of items that accumulate without anybody being aware. Randy is trying to get caught up on such chores before it is time for them to get back on the road. They have also been getting the trailer in good shape and hopefully avoid breakdowns when they leave home with it in tow. I was wishing just hearing him tell what all they had been doing would motivate me but it tired me enough that I pushed any ideas I might have aside and wait until later!
For several weeks my mind has been going in circles and for some reason I have really had pies going full tilt. I rarely make a pie and if I did nobody but Beamon would eat it. Those I make are from scratch but I use artificial sweetener instead of sugar. Thinking about when we were growing up we had dessert always for lunch and supper. Three layer stacked cakes or cream pies, fruit or berry cobblers, custard pies, pecan or mincemeat pies graced our tables often. We kids preferred chocolate or coconut and with no top on them. I’m not sure why Mother went to all the trouble to put the egg whites on the pie to begin with other than her mama had done that. Mother made plate pies of lemon, pineapple, caramel or butterscotch, banana, apple, peach or buttermilk.
The Denman women had a thing for buttermilk pies which I did not care for and I never have made one of those in all these years. Mother and her sister Reba Clark could whip several of those up in a very little while and then everybody would almost fight over them.
My sister Christal Shaw made them often as did cousin Barbara Charanza. Another aunt Joyce Webb specialized with Million Dollar Pies at Christmas time but I did not like them either. Tommie Lowery makes a fast coconut pie and cooks the filling in the microwave. I had never seen one made like that but it works. We cooked the filling for our pies in a double boiler. Using bought pie crust hastens the chore for a working woman of getting the good tasting stuff to the table fast. After I learned to cook Mother made the pie crusts from scratch and I cooked the filling.
When Pete Lilley and his wife Edwina had the restaurant we went often and I always marveled at his pies. Michelle McMullen makes beautiful mole high meringue on the pies she serves at Deans.
Beamon was happy to celebrate his birthday at Leslie and Patrick Richard’s with Pat and W.C. Scroggins, Jodi and Janie Morgan, Brandi and Jackson Lankford, and me. Pat and Leslie put him on FaceBook and he had responses from son Tim Scogin in Colorado; nephews Mark Moore, Nacogdoches; Weldon Moore, North Carolina; Debbie Moore Phillips, Arkansas; Joan Partin Mann, Nacogdoches; and a call from grandson Brad Reid. Opening birthday cards kept him busy.
Neal Denman was unlucky enough for a big deer to hit the side of his car. It must have been moving quite fast near the Methodist Church on Highway 69 South of Huntington. He was not hurt but he was without his wheels for a few days getting repairs done.
One evening Beamon surprised me by saying he was dying. What do you want me to do about it? Call an ambulance. Are you telling me you want to ride in an ambulance? He said the last time he had to go to the hospital that was his choice of transportation and then back at home he would NEVER do that again! Anyway, they really got here fast with me in hot pursuit back to the hospital since I am the one who has to fill in the blanks.
The emergency room really got finished with him fast but then we had to wait on a room. The first half of the five day stay he was sick but we had some of the best people to help us. His hospitalist was Dr. Hiram Ndunge, heart doctor is Dr. Steven and Dr. Nazeer was on call for Dr. Kumar who is the kidney doctor.
Dr. Kelly was the ER doctor and he was super nice but everyone else there was good and so helpful. The first three nights in the PCU in the heart wing Beamon was too sick to know or care where he was but the registered nurse Karla, and certified Nurse Aide Paula, were the workingest two women I have seen in a long time. I learned several new ideas for nursing and I was pleased with that knowledge. The other RNs we had were Andrea, Mary, Cathy, Erin and a male nurse Austin. Sophia was another CNA who was very good and she has folks in Huntington, so I knew where she got her work ethics. Several of her late aunts were Blanche Hawkins, Verda Logan and Clara Jackson who were wonderful ladies.
I lost five pounds while we were there. Usually I get a tray from the kitchen when he does but PCU and ICU visitors can’t do that. Daughter Pat Sroggins and Christal Shaw sat with him while i came home. We finally got home Sunday evening. One of the doctors asked about home health help and I raised my hand as I am that person.