Very Belated 2017 Year-End Newsletter!

Allison Times

Reporters: Caleb 29, Bethany 27, Timothy 25, Joseph 22, Hannah Grace 21, Jubilee 12

See You Later

   Scripture says there is “a time to weep and a time to laugh” (Ecc 3:4).  The first few months of 2018 were certainly a time to weep as we walked through the passing of Kim’s dad, Herb’s sister, and a dear friend (not to mention saying farewell to Joseph’s little family as they moved to Louisiana in March!). We do mourn the losses, but not as those who have no hope. Goodbye is not forever! It’s just for a little while.

Brantley’s Baby Brother Baylor Bruce

   Say that three times fast! J Brantley is happy to announce the arrival of his little brother, Baylor Bruce on July 3, 2017! Baylor tipped the scales at 8 lbs, 9 oz, and just keeps getting bigger and cuter! We were more than a little concerned that Brantley would be jealous, but he seems to enjoy keeping Baylor happy. Stay tuned for what happens when little brother starts getting into Brantley’s toys!

The Hunt

   Our boys were nothing but happy in regard to 2017 antlers! All 3 hunters were drawn out for a special hunt at James Collins, where Joseph and Timothy both killed 7 points (Timothy was the winner here). Joseph and Herb both got to hunt in Texas, where they each shot a 9 point (Herb won that contest with a trip to the taxidermist. Joseph just came home with antlers). Back at the ranch, Joseph and Herb each took an 8 point (Joseph won the taxi trip, while Herb, sadly, did not make the cut). Joseph and his friends had a separate Big Buck competition, and Joseph used that same 8 point to win. Lest anyone accuse Joseph (Hunter of the Year) with being gone all season, he wisely arranged to take the little woman hunting once or twice for some “bonding time.” His mama didn’t raise no fool!

Herb’s Hurricane Help

   Herb got called for hurricane duty and was stationed in Georgia for 40 days through September and October. If he wasn’t ready to retire before he went, he certainly was by the time he returned home! Hang in there, Herb! Only six years left till you can start on your “honey-do” list for your wife! Wifey, by the way, has been saving up projects for years to match Herb’s saved-up vacation days, waiting for him to cash in! There’s no way for Herb to win in this retirement game, unless he just disappears off the face of the earth, at which time Kimberly will be forced to hire The Locater. You can run, but you can’t hide. He is keeping his retirement date a secret for this very reason.

Timothy the Tool Man

     Timothy found a steal of a deal on a house and 5 acres in McClain which needed just a little fixin’ up. Surely, he will eventually learn that remodeling always involves more money than meets the eye. Surely.

   But for now, Tycoon Timothy has two houses (town and country) in which to lose his wallet, keys, and appliance parts. Bless his heart.

    

From Jailhouse to Church house

     After years of fervent prayer on her mother’s part, Deputy Bethany was finally moved to a day shift with the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Department! Her new shift allows for holidays and weekends off! Wild applause and fanfare! But before her mother could throw the confetti, Bethany took a part-time job working security for Victory Christian Center in Tulsa. Goodbye, holidays and weekends! But at least she can listen to inspiring sermons while on duty – a far cry from what she listens to at the jail! 

It’s off to Work We Go!

     Joseph finally got a release from the doctor regarding his back injury from the tower fall last year. He worked for a short time with Timothy where they learned, among other things, that RSG doesn’t generate enough income for two families. When Joseph started working at Captive-Aire, he began cranking out fans so quickly, he was promoted after one month to foreman! Still not satisfied, he left for Louisiana in March 2018 to be a rigger on a construction crew working on an oil company. Two weeks in, he passed his rigging test and got a hefty raise. This job lasts till January 2019, and the only question is: will Mimi last that long without seeing the grands? tune in next year... 

Love the Night Life!

     Hannah Grace graduated from Connors State College with her Associates Degree in December 2017, while working nights as an LPN at Eastgate Nursing Home. Since no one would be quiet enough for her to sleep during the day, she was forced to get her own apartment just to function. She will be taking a year off school and working ‘round the clock to put herself through a Bachelor RN program in the near future.

Tourist Attractions

   Kim’s cousins, Jason and Jessee Greene, came to visit Oklahoma last spring. The California boys were amazed that Robber’s Cave and Honor Heights Park were free and not crowded!

Arkansas, Y’all

     Amid homeschooling, helping babysit her favorite nephews, and watching Pa, Jubilee was excited to start piano and violin lessons in Arkansas. The weekly drive gives them almost five hours of uninterrupted study (or talk) time. She loves her teacher, Miss Rebekah, who works with Jubilee’s “gift” of playing by ear, while gently nudging her hatred of note reading. They are best buddies and it is definitely worth the trip.

Biscuit, the Big White Dog

     Our new white puppy (part Pyrenees, part mystery) has grown into a 200 pound  Marmaduke with ADHD. If only we could train her to do something useful! Kim’s goal is to stick her head out the door and tell Biscuit to go get some wood for the wood stove, which Biscuit could easily pick up with her big mouth. Herbert has obviously trained her to help him take apart his junk, because she was seen shaking a vehicle air bag in the front yard. She drags deer carcasses, wild boar heads, and old car parts from all over the country and decorates the yard (a real junk yard dog!). Why not wood for the stove?

     It appears Biscuit and Herbert are in cahoots to see what will happen when Kimberly cracks from the strain of all the junk. It won’t be pretty, but at least Biscuit and Herbert will have each other to keep warm.

Run, Forrest, Run!

      Caleb grew up believing “the cows are more scared of you than you are of them.” But not so with Uncle Roy’s wild calf rodeo. The half-grown calf ran over Caleb, stick and all. He saw sky! Ground! Sky! Thud! In too much pain to be dead, Caleb thought something was surely broken and lay there like a slug. Herb and Joseph scrambled to the top rung of nearby gates and shouted for Caleb to run! As soon as he could tell up from down, he flat-footed over the fence. With everyone safe, Shaelee and the rest of the gang laughed themselves sick, but still wouldn’t come down from the gates.

 A Whole Lot of Bull

   After all these years at the home place, Herbert has decided to try his hand at raising cattle. Paper and time do not permit the stories of cattle disasters experienced this year alone, but one stands out above the others and must be told.

   Herb started his disappearing herd with 2 cows he bought from Uncle Roy. Then he lost one and bought 2 more. Then he sold one, lost one, and bought 2 more. Enter “Duke” – a huge Angus bull supplied from Big Herb’s Wagon Wheel Ranch (WW for short). Duke lumbered out of the trailer and took charge.

     About this time, Herbert (aka “Little Herb” -not Big Herb) left for hurricane duty. The next day, Duke left for bigger pastures. He walked right through the fence, up the hill, across a cattle guard, and into a fresh supply of cattle, as if guided by GPS. They just happened to belong to Uncle Roy. That evening, Joseph and Cary Lee (aka: The Cowboys) cut Duke from the herd with 4-wheelers and secured him in a corral until the sale barn opened in a few days, at which time he would be hauled off.

   But during the night, Duke put the “WW Smackdown” on Uncle Roy’s steel gate, bent it double, and walked right over it (“First bull in fifty years…,” Uncle says.). But this time, Duke was wise to 4-wheelers, and refused to be penned by The Cowboys. The safest plan at this point was to let Duke have the whole pasture and anything else he wanted.

   Unsatisfied, Duke found a weak spot in the fence by Uncle Curt’s house and proceeded to lead the herd to Kansas, via highway 64. Uncle Roy and Aunt Betty ran from gate to gate, crawling through barbed wire, chasing cattle, and wiring things shut behind them. It wasn’t good for their hearts, and by the end of the day, all they could do was shake their heads and stare at the floor, disheveled and speechless.

    Experts from far and near were brought in, and a new strategy was proposed. A crowd of locals gathered to watch. The idea was to chase the whole herd into the corral, then sneak the cows out until Duke was the last man standing. Then haul him off, sale or no sale.

   The plan worked, and Duke brought enough money at the stockyard to pay out his debt. But, by next fall, every animal in this section line will be half Angus.

Footnotes:

     Bethany’s wild furballs weighed in at 12 pounds each, and due to their long, long hair, they have to be professionally shaved and groomed on a regular basis. These animals truly are million dollar cats!
   Jubilee enjoyed a variety of field trips with her Mom last year, including standing in line for a few hours at the Pioneer Woman restaurant and mercantile in Pawhuska. It's the latest fad for old ladies, and Jubilee is ahead of the game. She can now just smile and wave, knowing it's already checked off her bucket list. 

    Joseph rescued Uncle Roy’s Dodge from the pasture and got it up and running. He finally has the diesel he has always wanted, and Shaelee was blessed with a big family Armada. It will hold 4 more kids, so Joseph should be set with that for a while to come.

   Hannah Grace can’t sit still and took two weekend jaunts last year to South Carolina and Illinois. She also spent a week in Phoenix visiting Aunt Judy, and a week in Oregon visiting Uncle Tommy’s family at the beach. When the “beach-savvy” family ran for higher ground, Han decided to bravely face the waves. For this act of courage, she was tossed to the shore in a humiliating heap, like a rag doll (a phoneless rag doll). We live and learn. 😉 

   Timothy passed his instrument rating test (Yea!)! But he sold his beloved Mooney airplane (Awww!). But he used the money to buy his house (Yea!). But he spends so much time working on the house [and RSG] that he has little time to fly (Awww!), even in the club plane (double Awww!). But the vision of being a flight instructor keeps him going, and he is anxious for the day he can toss the appliance parts aside and fly every day, all day long (Yea!). The sky is calling!
   Shaelee had to learn to hang on or get left behind when Joseph bought a new/used motorcycle last year. He says the "little lady" loves to ride, and he really bought it for her.😨

   Caleb maintained his night and day vigil over “Pa” (Kim’s dad), while also keeping his Uncle Curt supplied with appliance parts and bookwork. Pa, with his mental decline, kept Caleb supplied with humorous anecdotes; most of which, according to Caleb, cannot be discussed in polite company. J

 

Where Does the Sun Go at Night?

   When I was a kid, one of the best ways to spend an evening in the country was poking sticks in the trash fire. Once the tip of the stick was glowing hot (or flaming), you could swing your stick around, making patterns in the air. How is it that no one ever got burned?

   I vividly remember walking outside with my dad one evening as he carried out a sack of trash to burn. With childlike curiosity, I asked, “Where does the sun go at night?”

   My dad set the sack down, took a knee, and began to enthusiastically describe our solar system, using his hands to demonstrate the earth’s rotation around the sun. The sun was still shining, he explained, I just couldn’t see it. When he was sure I understood, we continued with our project. My dad always had the answers I needed, and he wasn’t too busy for me. I was important, and he loved me.

   Years later, as a young mother, I was shaken to learn that the twin towers had fallen, and terror had entered our secure little world. Knowing my Dad would have the answers, I found him and asked, “Why would anyone do such a thing? What could they possibly hope to gain?”

   I remember listening to his carefully worded answer as he explained the religious beliefs and motivations involved. Still deeply troubled, at least I understood the method behind the madness. The world had gone crazy, but Dad was wise and steady, and he loved me.

   One day I brought my dad a new challenge. I had some marriage issues (who doesn’t?) that I couldn’t work out. I needed his advice. I remember his answer, delivered in his slow, thoughtful style. “Kim,… men …are like… bulls…”

   I had been raised around cattle, so I had a reference point here. He cautiously continued, “When there’s a bull on the place, it tears down the fences, damages the property, etcetera, etcetera. But…,” he shrugged his shoulders and trailed off, “you’ve got to have ‘em…”

   His analogy had played itself out, and both of us thought it best to leave it alone. Let it die a natural death. We walked away laughing and pondering the purpose of humanity in general.  As it turns out, he was spot-on. Dad had the answers, and he loved me.

   When Dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, I had plenty of questions, but this time, he didn’t have the answers. That sweet, brilliant mind was confused. And the worst part: he knew it.

   While that evil disease slowly destroyed his mind and body, Dad’s spirit remained intact. As long as he could utter sounds, he would sing along with the hymns we sang for him. Often, throughout the day, he would remove an imaginary cap and bow his head to speak to his God.

   On January 15, at the young age of 75, Dad’s spirit exited his worn-out body and appeared immediately in the presence of his Savior (“…absent from the body…present with the Lord.” 2 Cor 5:8). In that instant, all of his questions were answered. His suffering was rewarded. His mind was restored.

   “Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness, as the stars forever and ever” (Daniel 12:3).  Like the sun that never stops shining, my dad is still alive. He just moved to the other side.  And that’s a good place to be.💗