I hit a milestone birthday!

 On September 24 I hit a milestone and turned 80 years old.  I sure don't feel 80, but my body does.  I was very disappointed with Rick because I've known him since April of 2015, and he still does not remember my birthday.  I have never forgotten his birthday and for a few years I bought him generously expensive gifts, but this past July I purposely pretended not to acknowledge his birthday and he was a little upset and kept reminding me that it was his birthday.  I gave him a little taste of what it feels like when someone who is special to you doesn't remember your birthday.

You'd think that after 9 years together he'd remember my birthday, but maybe he does but is just too cheap to take me out to eat somewhere special or even send me flowers or get me some trinket.

This year when I didn't hear a peep out of him on my birthday, I just got dressed and left the house and didn't return until dark.  

PS......I did have a very good birthday with my family which started on Saturday and then continued all the way until the day after my birthday with my family.  Saturday we met at Cracker Barrel for brunch, then on my actual birthday I went over to Delores' and spent the day with Suzanne, Ray & Carson and we ate at PapaLeno's, then the next day Ray fixed me a birthday meal which he cooked all by himself.  It was delicious fried chicken, gravy and he even baked some homemade from scratch cookies.  Ray has become a very good cook since his mom had a total knee replacement and she's not able to do the cooking.  All I can say is Ray learned from the BEST, his mom.  

Happy 30th Birthday Brandon Hatcher

My youngest grandson turns 30 today, and that's a big milestone.  I'm sure we all remember our 30th birthday.  We all felt like we were getting old, but actually it's just another number in our many birthdays to come.

I wish Brandon a very Happy Birthday today and many more to come in the coming years.  I hope he lives a long, happy, healthy and prosperous life filled with love.

Happy 30th Birthday Brandon!  We all love you and are proud of you!

 Here is Brandon proudly holding his own son Ody.

ODY, Dennis & Laurel's Visit

 This is our sweet little Ody.  He's 13 months old now and just started walking.  His parents Brandon Hatcher and Krystal are very proud of him, and so are we.

We don't get to see as much of Ody, and his parents as much as we'd like even tho they just live in the next county because of unforeseen circumstances beyond anyone's control, but maybe good fortune will strike and things will change for the better.  They are just on a different schedule.  When I'm sleeping, they are awake and visa versa.  Third shift is a bummer that can't be helped for now.

These last couple of days we've been playing cat & mouse with them.  They had cell phone and car trouble and when we were one place they were where we had been and all of us never got to see Ody and his parents.  It's hard to meet at a specific location when you can't reach them by cell phone or Messenger.   

I grew to appreciate cell phones more these last couple of days when my brother & his wife came to town for a visit.  It seemed like I was on the cell phone texting or talking letting everyone know where we were at any specific time.  We had a wonderful time with Dennis & Laurel, but now that they have gone back home it seemed like it was such a whirlwind visit.  I enjoyed every minute of their visit even tho at times Dennis and I were raising our voices at each other, and if you know my brother Dennis you would understand what I just said perfectly.  He is such a gentle soul tho and I love him with all my heart.

I'm going to do my best to post a few pictures of our visit below.  My very old laptop doesn't always want to co-operate with me.

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Leonel Olguín Muñoz

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN                                                                               June 27, 2024

Re: Leonel Olguín Muñoz                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

I met Leo early in the Spring of 2015 when I spotted him stopping by the empty house next door.  The house sat adjacent to my backyard.  I had been feeding an old abandoned dog named Blackie for 9 months who the old neighbors had left behind when they moved away.  

I introduced myself to Leo and handed him a large bag of dog food.  He told me that he didn't have a dog and, that was when I informed him that his house came with a dog.  Blackie was born there and went with the house, which was his house now.  Leo was surprised but not alarmed.  He said that he had seen a black dog a time or two wandering around in his yard, but thought it might be one of the neighbors dogs.  Leo told me that he worked out of town a lot and sometimes only came home on weekends, but then he thought of a solution for Blackie.  Leo decided to make Blackie a nice warm bed under the house with food and water to last for the entire week. Leo took good care of Blackie for a few years until Blackie's death.  Leo is a kind and caring man who has been a very good neighbor.

Leo is also a very hard working man and when I needed help he volunteered to mow my yard for several months.  He also took my trashcan up a steep slope to the road for garbage pickup when I could no longer do it for myself each week. He never asked for anything in return.

Leo also got married to a woman with a little girl.  All was fine for a while, I don't know how many years they were married,  but his wife started cheating on him and stepping out while he was away at work, and of course this led to a divorce.

Leo has done so many good things and helped me so much during the 10 years he has lived next door to me, too numerous to mention here.  I can always count on him.  I will be 80 years old in September and it has been so comforting to have such a good neighbor nearby who is willing to help in any way that he can.  All the neighbors love him because he is such a hard working man who does so much for all of us.

Sincerely,

(His neighbor) 

Sandy