This week my thoughts have been occupied by two different events. First of all my good friend and neighbor, Steve Freeland, got married on Saturday. I haven't been around Connie, his new bride, very much but she seems to be a good match for him. Their wedding was very pretty and I am happy for the two of them.
I remember the first time I met Connie. It was Halloween night of 2003. We all thought Steve was a confirmed bachelor at that time. When we stopped at his house to trick-or-treat Connie came to the door with Steve. We had no idea she was there as his truck was the only vehicle in the driveway. I was glad he didn't turn on the porch light as I'm sure I looked like a total idiot standing there with my mouth wide open.
When we got back in the van Vicki started in on me. "Who is Connie? Why haven't you told me he was dating? Where did he meet her? How long have they been seeing each others?" When I finally got her to stop all the questions I simply defended myself by saying, "Vicki, you've got to understand that I came this close [I held up my fingers to show a very small space between them] to saying, 'Steve, you've got a woman in there!'"
Now everyone can quit worrying about that nice bachelor up the road. (After the wedding Jenna even said, "I didn't think he was ever going to get married.")
Two weeks ago I mentioned my Aunt Ruth. She passed away this morning around 10:35. Given her age (94) and poor health it was a blessing. We went to see her yesterday after church and I am glad that Jenna and Ben were with us. She did not respond to any of us while we were there. Now she is free from her broken body.
Aunt Ruth was always a quiet person. I really liked to be with her when I was little. One of my most favorite memories was doing her rounds with her when she fed all the chickens and cats around the barn and house. She had several spots where she left grain for the chickens so doing the rounds took a while.
When I was in elementary school Mom worked at Hancock's Loosefloor in town. Sometimes when school was closed for snow I would stay with Aunt Ruth since Mom and Aunt Mar both had to work. She always fixed me a chocolate milk shake at lunch and when all the afternoon TV shows came on that I liked to watch I would crawl up under her coffee table and watch TV from there.
One day there was a few inches of snow on the ground and I brought my sled to her house. Her yard was pretty flat so to make sledding fun she used an old broom to push my sled across the yard. She was in her early 60s then and could still get a running start to slide me down what little slope there was.
The only job she ever had was working in the cafeteria at school. I never would eat the food in the cafeteria and it used to worry her a lot. She'd call Mom up and say, "I don't know what he lives on but he didn't eat again today."
Aunt Ruth was a very good cook. She made a great chocolate cake. The funny thing was that whenever we'd be invited over to her house to eat she had the most delicious dinner on the table and be constantly apologizing about it saying, "it ain't fittn' to eat."
Yes, it was a blessing that Aunt Ruth passed away. She really hasn't been with us for a long time. I hope I have inherited a portion of her kindness because that is the thing I remember most about her--that quiet, gentle kindness.
Joe
