6-6-11 – Good morning. It’s gonna be a hot one. We have a heat advisory out for today, Tuesday and maybe Wednesday. Then rain again the next few days. I’m going to try to stay inside all I can. I’m lucky I can do that. Walt said he will stay in today. I worry about him a lot when he’s out there mowing the grass in the heat. It really zaps him of his strength.
We went to Lujack’s in Davenport May 1th and got the car serviced. We had a real nice visit with Charlie Cox again. He’s the one who sold us the last Hyundai Accent. Also, the one who has relatives living in Ava, MO., so maybe they will read this. He said the Accents are selling so fast they can’t keep them on the lot and that he’s got four sold as quick as they can get them in. That was good to hear. A lot of people are going to smaller cars because of the gas prices. Another salesman was standing by the coffee bar getting some coffee. As Charilie was leaving he said, “He’s from somewhere in Missouri too.” The guy said he was from Seymour. So I told him we’re both from Ava and said, “You know where Ava is?” He said he did and that he had relatives there and some were by the name of Coy. He said one of them was Effie Coy and I asked if she used to go to the little log church at Vera Cruz and he said, “Yes, that’s her.” So I told him I used to go to church there and I remembered her. So I asked him what his name was and he said, “Underwood” and I told him I didn’t remember anyone by that name. Walt then asked him what is first name was and he said,”Orbie” and I mentioned “Orbie the Van Man” that used to advertise his car lot on television and he said, “That’s me.” That was a surprise. Many of you who live here and used to live here will remember the ads on television. He wore a cape and called himself “Orbie, the Van Man.” I never would have thought he was from Seymour, MO. We had a good visit with him and he seems really nice too. Everyone treats us great there at Lujacks.
After that we went on over to my doctor appointment. He put a shot in the sore part of my ear to numb it and then cut a little piece out to send to lab and put a stitch in my ear. I was to call him in a couple of days for the results. I did and he said everything was fine and no sign of cancer. That was good news. I went back to get the stitch out the 26th and he said to not put anything else on it. He’s really a good doctor. He checked on my back and anywhere I had skin tags or anything on me. He noticed where my hands are so dry and cracked and I told him I have eczema. He prescrived a cream for that and it was only 76 cents for a big tube and it really works good. We went to Muscatine almost two weeks ago. Lisa said Jacob has a new girlfriend and they say they’re in love and want to get married someday. Lisa said Ashley is really nice and good too. I was glad to hear that. Jacob got a new job and is making good money and loves his job. That made me happy to hear that. Lisa is having a baby shower for one of the waitresses who works with her. It’s the 17th so maybe we’ll get to see everyone then. Anita said they had a cook out last Monday for the holiday and Jared, Jacob and Carl’s daughter’s boyfriend all played music.
I called Frank Allison yesterday and left a message that I wanted to know if he had any news for me and to make a date to see him and his house when we come up there this week, but I haven’t heard from him so maybe he didn’t get my message. We want to be sure and try to see him this time.
Candi Allison stopped by Saturday on her way to Iowa City to do some shopping. We haven’t seen her for quite some time so we had a good visit with her. She gave her grandpa Walt a cute birdhouse that looks like a little red barn lat year for his birthday and it’s hanging on the edge of the porch. The little wrens are building a nest in it. I think they’ve got it done now. They’re so cut to watch. They’re not much bigger than some of the hummingbirds. They sure make a lot of noise trying to keep everything away fron their nest.
The Orioles are building a nest somewhere too. Maybe we will have some baby Orioles. They’re sure pretty. I saw two little chipmunks out there yesterday so maybe they will have some babies as well. A big mother coon tore a hole in under the roof by the back door and had babies in the ceiling over the bathroom. We saw her taking them out last night. It looked like three or four of them and of course, they’re cute also. When she first made the hole, Walt put a sheet of aluminum over it, but she just pried it up and went on in. He has to fix it again after her and her babies move out. There was a bat in the house one night and this time instead of chasing it around all over the house I just opened up the door and it flew right on out. I asked Robert Allison if he had any news and he wanted me to ask if anyone has a picture of Lewis Heatherly, who is buried in France in April 1918. He was the brother of Lucy Heatherly-Allison and would have been the uncle to Bob and Dee Allison. If anyone has a picture please call me at 563-946-2214 and we’ll make arrangements to get one to me. I would like to do that for Rob. Maybe Jeff Heatherly or Russell Heatherly might have one. We were at the cemetery the 29th and mowed the grass on Jeff and the Idlewine’s graves and decorated Jeff’s grave. We were talking to a man who came to mow his stepdaughter’s grave and the plots where he and his wife will be buried. It’s near Jeff’s grave and I always wondered about her. She was a young woman who died in 1994, and it says, “Mother of Megan and Amber” and “Mommy, we love you.” It was hauntingly said and mysterious to me. I’ve even put flowers on her grave. He said her boyfriend shot and killed her then killed himself. She had twin daughters who were four years old then. I’m pretty sure I remember when that was in the news. He ws telling us how famous that cemetery is. One day a bus load of students from the University of Iowa was there pulling garlic mustard, which they’re trying to get out of there because it’s so invasive. One time he was there and there was a bus load of people from out east visiting the cemetery. Also a woman from New York was there and said she saved up for four years so she could come there and see the cemetery. Last year his sister in San Francisco called him and asked what was going on with the Rochester Cemetery and said it was on the front page of the paper out there and said, “Iowa town in debate over to mow or not to mow.” It was talking about the Rochester Cemetery. I remember when that was in the Tipton paper. They keep big wide paths mowed all through it so people can walk through it.
Well, the old thermometer says its already 85 degrees outside, so I better get this ready so Walt can take it to the mailbox before it gets too much hotter. Take care of yourselves. Bye, bye for now.
