Way Back When...

What would life be if we could not look back and see what we had,
in order to truly appreciate what we have now?
Fortunately, through a lot of hard work
and effort from my parents,
I didn't have to live in this
"little house in the woods" all my growing up years.
Dads work stayed steady and
we moved closer to town and the schools
We never wanted for things when we were growing up.
My mother was and still is a very talented lady.
I remember girls in my class wanting to
know where my Mother bought my dress.
We didn't have a lot of extra spending money but
she always made sure that we were clothed nicely
and most important of all;
They made us feel loved and safe in our growing years
and can still make us feel that way after all these years.

And Now, well it was 10 years ago!

And Now, 10 years later!
Living life can certainly tell on us.

I was raised in the logging country in Northern California and
Jerry was raised here in McMinn County, Tennessee.
Jerry is now a painter by trade,
although he spent 27 years of his life on the road
as a route driver.
My first public job was the old standby waitress work.
I went from that to office work
and worked my way up to assistant manager of a loan office.
I spent the last 7 years of my work life, driving a route.
I am now a domestic engineer. (Homemaker)
We both enjoy taking life easy in our spare time
and enjoy leisurely drives over roads we have never been.

My favorite hobby is woodworking.
Jerry has said on more than one
occasion if he ever loses me in a store,
the first place to look is in the power tools section.
My first project was a gun cabinet for him.
The next project was outdoor patio furniture
and that was followed by a curio cabinet.
My latest project was our computer desk,
you may see it by using the Wood Crafts link in the directory.
My next project I intend to try will be a curio cabinet,
for myself. I have a collection of Native American Indian Dolls,
that are just begging to be displayed properly.

When you share a smile with someone,
don't forget to share it with yourself.
For when you have a smile
in your heart,
It will shine on others.

by Sharon Wallace

Try not to forget the forgotten ones.
Of these, I mean the animals that
mankind has discarded on his journey through life.
If you see an animal or a fellow human being that needs a
helping hand,
take time out of your busy life to extend that hand.
You will be rewarded many times over
by a warming of your heart.