~Some of My Family~

I write a lot about some of my mothers family, my dear Aunts,

Uncles and cousins.. That is my Uncle Ernie that is now about 90,

still living, and my dear Aunt Gladys, and their 3 sons, Dennis the

oldest, Then Robert, or Bobby as I called him, the youngest is

Richard, Dickie was his nickname.. A great family, very close, just

as all of us were. We all did things together as a family which I wish

familys now did the same thing, but so many things have changed

so it cant be possible.. My 3 cousins, I havent seen since my mother

died, and then it was Bobby, I havent seen Dennis in 40 years I bet,

and Dickie, I havent seen him since I left home in 64. That's sad.

At one time, good times, we were CLOSE family.. That photo was

taken on one of our outings up to Lake Superior and Porcupine

Mountain... Lovely spot.. We gathered agates along the shore of the

lake, then drove up to the lookout on top of the Porkies as they are

called.. Lake of the clouds is a lovely spot...
We had a great time. That photo was taken from the lookout

at the Porkies, they have hiking trails and its a great recreation

place and quite popular. In that photo is my other sister that I

don't talk about and her husband that I NEVER mention, Top

left, Clifford, Gayle, then Dickie, then my Dad..See those Binoculars

hes holding..They are here next to my desk, I still use them, they

have given me many hours of window looking pleasure when that

was all I did that first year out of the HellHome, when I sat and just

looked out the window, waiting for the day to be over so I could

get to the next and the next. The bottom row, is Aunt Gladys and

Uncle Ernie, then GUESS WHO?? The other blonde is my cousin

Dennis's girl friend then, wife now, Janet, then Bobby in front..

We made these family excursions at Least once a month if not more,

just to get outside and enjoy where we lived, we loved all the seasons,

and made good use of all of them. Snow, didn't detour us at all..Rain,

yes, but snow, we all enjoyed it in different ways. My Aunts and Mom

didn't ski, they loved to go though.. they still enjoyed snow shoes or

even a toboggan that Dad used to tie to the end of his jeep and us

kids would get on it.. Dad would take us out to Kaufmel Road, a

lonnnnnng straight one, and he would pull us behind the jeep, THAT

was fun. Well except for one time when my cousin Bobby got smart

and drug his feet and made us veer off over the side and we ended

up in a snow bank before Dad could stop the jeep..It was fun though.
We didn't get hurt there was too much snow... :-)
The rides we took in the winter, we would just stop along the side

and have a picnic or just let the guys ski.. I wasn't a skiier, but I loved

the snow.There are all of us again, you can see Dennis and Janet in

the back, Uncle Ernie, Aunt Gladys, Dickie,Bobby,Mom, and Me..

Notice all the snow.. Just like what we have outside here today..

I don't think it was as cold that day like it is here today though. I wish

I had the albums of photos that my mother had..3 of them just full.. I

had to give them to Gayle, when she settled the estate after mom

passed away. That is a whole huge chapter, that I very seldom ever

talk about, much less mention Gayle. We are NOT in contact at ALL,

and havent been since 1990, and don't ever plan to be.

There are 2 times in my life I do NOT talk or write about or tell about.

They are very private and very personal... I do mention Gayle off and

on, never her husband, and the other phase of my life was the very

first one, I was married, but I don't write or talk about it. Perhaps one

day I will.. It was a very learning time, and very sad, the outcome of

those times was NOT good..but I learned some very valuable lessons.

I honestly think If I did write a detailed book about my life, NO ONE

would believe that a person in one lifetime could go through so many

different things of happenings- my life I have to say Is like a comedy

of errors.. Laughable , cryable..but the biggest was I LEARNED and
I have survived.. that is the main thing :-)

I still am.. I learned last nite that my Brother, Kenny has just gotten

home from hospital.. His wife Yvonne phoned me last nite.. Kennys

right kidney has stopped functioning..and.. they had to BYPASS

both his legs. He has blood clots.. like me, and sadly like my sister

RoseMarie, that passed away from an aneurism that killed her

instantly, she was 57. I am worried for Kenny. He was diagnosed

with PVD, like me. My sister Shirley, has severe leg problems, but

hasnt had bypasses...YET.. I talked for a long time to them and I

hope I didn't scare them, but that is how I started.. and why I am like

I am now.. I fear for Kenny. But like I told Yvonne, as long as he is

still alive and here, that is the main thing.. we can handle every thing

that is thrown at us.. That is one thing I can say about each of us

that are left, only 4 now, we are fighters, and we stand our ground..

I told Yvonne, Kenny was resting and she needed to talk to someone

that she knew would understand.. She loves Kenny dearly they have

been married for over 30 years. They live by my other brother Frank

and not far from my sister Shirley...in Elkhart..

Well time for me to close this day, was a quiet one, no mishaps,

no spills or falls and not much stress, I can handle these kind of

days, I hate when I have to get upset or angry or those ugly feelings

I like happy the best.. Which GORGEOUS WEEBLES are of

course mostly happy, you can be if you try.. Im gonna try to get out

of this chair for today and watch my great CLEAR TV..THAT will
make me happy :-) "Nitey Nite" :-)

Y'all have a good one now, Y'hear? love ya, and THANKS!!! :-)

Always, Lois ****

God Bless you, is my prayer today,

I'm so honored to call you "friend";

I pray the Lord will keep you safe,

Until I write again.....