Maid Marion's chambers: 2008

This weekend Nancy Mize graduated from Shorter College with first honors. She graduated very first, at the top of the school! On Thursday her best friend Kilby flew up from Florida... As you can tell Kilby is rather crazy... and incredibly hilarious. On Friday morning I went to the spring with Tripp around 7:15 to get water for his garden. So after riding in Tripp's jeep and freezing to death while listening to very fun music we came back and watered squash, peppers, and bean plants. Just as I was finishing up with the beans Alice summoned us in for breakfast.

At 8:30 Nancy Mize, Kilby, and I traveled into to town where I played the piano in Guild, which I received a little pin for today. As a celebration for this we went over to Starbucks. While we waited for Jonathan Ingram to show up we walked around on the river walk by Ridge Ferry Park. On the way I counted 32 squirrels! Which is rather a large number... then we walked back and met "Ingram" as we call him. Since Kilby works at a Starbucks in Florida she told me just what to get. I have never ever tasted a better frappuccino! It was Java Chip with rasberry! That is the best ever! We sat around enjoying such delicious refreshments while talking about this and that.

When we got home I read about Louisiana's reconstruction and politics during the 1870's. That afternoon I went out to pick strawberries with Kilby, Nancy Mize, and Alice, only to find the farm had closed for a day because not enough berries were ripe to pick.

The rest of the afternoon I did the rest of school and then helped around the house to get ready for the party. around 10 p.m. I came down stairs because I was incredibly thirsty. I there found that the kitchen was not completely clean and my mother was worn out... so I decided to take over and finish up. So at 11:30... I finally went to bed. The next morning came... and I slept through my alarm clock... but I guess I didn't really need to get up at six anyway... However I quickly dressed, ate breakfast, and grabbed an umbrella. We were off to Shorter commencement!

...There isn't much to say about commencement... because I have already told you the juicy facts... so I'll just skip that part... :)

We enjoyed various sandwiches and salads and such at Harvest Moon for lunch while laughing about this and ranting about that... so we had lots of fun there too. Just as we get home... our mischievous puppy, pan, jumped up on me and got my skirt quite covered with paw prints. After changing I ran about the house making up beds for the Whiteheads, and then I went out to help with the tent. As I ran inside to get something Pan gives out a great bark and my dad says, "It must be the Whiteheads!" he was quite right.

I nearly flew out the door, but I slowed my pace over the gravel path because of my bear feet. Out of the green expedition came Aunt Marty, Uncle Robert, Ian, Daniel, and Andrew. I lead them up, through the house and into the back yard where we finished setting up the tent, and put up tables and chairs.

In not long the first guests arrived! After that... it is kind of like dominoes falling. You greet one guest and they just pile one onto the other! I spent the early part of the evening playing "Liar" with Leah-joy, Whitney-Faith, Joel, Laura, Caroline, and Alice... (I know I am leaving out some one, don't hate me! And to make it worse I know exactly where that person was sitting and I can't see a face! Yikes!) Any way... after that I sort of made my way from one group of people to another... Eventually I entered the kitchen... if you are claustrophobic... never go in there when we have a party! There I talked to Andrew about writing papers and hoping against hope as you turn it in seconds before the deadline that you didn't have any errors! Then Aunt Deborah came in and told him that he couldn't believe every thing I said... Quick as ever with a come back I told her you couldn't trust anything he said... Of course Andrew has to play innocent and say, "What? You are accusing me of this?" ...and so on... then we bowed our head for the prayer and proceeded to go and eat. I sat with James Schroeder and Jonathan Ingram and ate Cheetos with a fork! Of course Jonathan had to make fun of me for it, but James came to my defense telling him that you get orange stuff all over your hands when you eat them with your hands.

When I finished my plate I went and put out the desert. When I found out that Marigrace had put the plastic wrap on the brownies... I had to complement her! That was soooo hard to uncover! She just said, "Well I didn't want them to fall off!" Then she said, "Yeah once I was done, I thought... he he he, I wonder about this coming off... oh well." Then I sat down at her table and talked to Andrew, Hope, Daniel, what's her name, and Noel. We talked about Saxon math and Sahara... and stuff like that. Jonathan came over and called me a traitor... but I just said, "You can't be lame at a party and only hang out with one group of people!"

Every one came in and sang happy birthday to Grandmommy and then... we just sort of stayed inside. Andrew, Leah-joy, Hope, Alice, and I sat around talking about Dr. Grant lectures for a bit and Andrew talked about finding out in school about how many people certain bombs would kill... one day he walked into the room and everyone was grinning, when he asked why they were happy, they said, "We just found out how to kill another 12000 people!" ...he he he... the evening passed in such a manner as we just sort of sat around chatting while the light faded away.

After the last people had left we went and unloaded the Whitehead's car and brought in all sorts of bags and this and that. When I found out that Andrew needed I pillow I put a different pillow case on my extra one and then rambled about to find him a "teddy" In the end I gave him a little gorrilla sort of thing... I said, "Here is a pillow, and we thought you might want a teddy to sleep with." I grinned... he smiled, and laughing, said, "Aww... thanks I left mine at home and I was getting really lonely."

The next morning I got up at six and read all of the book of Ruth... I LOVE that book! It is just so happy... any way, then I helped Mama make biscuits and such while Andrew and Uncle Robert sat at the bar while discussing with Daddy and Mama about the elections and who to vote for. Then I got out the ice and started breaking it up with the ice pick... I knew just as soon as I held that ice pick in my hand that Andrew would offer to come over and break up the ice for me... ha ha ha! Of course I was right... I didn't want to make him mad or anything so I just consented to him doing it.. even though I was getting along at it quite well! But whatever...

....wow! I can't believe I have written this much already! And I haven't gotten to the best part yet! Wow! Well any way... I'll just skip to lunch. We ate spaghetti for lunch and sat out under the tent. Pan kept running around under our table and begging for food at the person of his choice. Andrew reminded me of Susannah in every way when he spoke to the dog! He raised his eyebrows and spoke very fiercely! (laughs) We talked about all sorts of things and then went inside and got out of our Sunday clothes. Andrew, Ian and Tripp went out on the front porch with some pipes and cigars. I went out there for a second to give Tripp something and Andrew said,

"Is she aloud in on this conversation Tripp?"

I said, "Don't worry, I'm leaving."

"No, I was just kidding!" he came back quickly.

"Oh, I know Tripp would much prefer me not to be here, so I'll go." I went into the kitchen to help, but Kilby and NM were in there... and I didn't want to bother them so I got the camera and went to take some blackmail pictures of Ian!

John Hougue

It's the ones you hold so dear,
the ones you love the most,
The ones you think you'll never loose,
the ones you miss the most.
They don't die slowly either,
but it's like a slap in the face.
Now you'll always remember,
Their loving, tender grace.
Now that they have left us,
We cling to what we have.
Did we think we'd ever loose them?
What if we loose it all?
It's now that we come to value what we have,
Instead of taking it all for granted.

To the life of John Hogue, a loving, serving Christian man who changed many lives. His goal was to witness to two people every day. John Hogue was a loving father to 11 children, and a loving grandfather to about 38 grandchildren. On Tuesday April 22, John Hogue was killed in a car accident. Now he is happy with Jesus, the master he faithfully served for over 70 years.

Now please scroll down and listen to "Praise You in This Storm" by Casting Crowns.