Carl and Neressa Ray spent Thanksgiving with their daughter, Sue, and her husband, Darrel Graham, of Ava. Joining them for dinner were the Grahams’ son, Travis, and his family from Kansas, and their daughter, Tammy Lakey, and husband Gary and children of Ava. Neressa says Sue is a good cook who enjoys working in the kitchen; she had turkey and ham and all the trimmings for their delicious dinner.
As is his custom, Arnold Lawson, soon to be 89 years young, cooked the turkey for Thanksgiving dinner, and his kids came bringing the rest of the feast. Daughter Audean and husband, Darrel Watson, along with their three children and spouses and grandchildren, Dennis Lawson and family from Ava, and Bob Lawson and wife Beulah of Ava combined for a large dinner crowd of about 20 at Arnold’s Thornfield home last Thursday.
Visiting Darrel and Audean Watson for the long holiday weekend were his sister, Jenice, and husband Johnny Pollock and three grandchildren of Burlison, Texas. They shared a late Thanksgiving meal on Saturday with Darrel’s sister, Evelyn Evans, son Roger and family of Squires, and Delmas Watson and wife Beverly of Ava.
The Wasola Fire Department now has its big tanker truck ready to roll! The 6000-gallon tank was donated by the Missouri Department of Conservation and was then painted and refurbished by volunteers, including Calvin Eslinger and Scott and Darrel Watson. Ralph Brown loaned his big shop for the project and is now allowing the truck to be stored there; it must be kept under a roof, so this is a generous help to the department.
Happy birthday to Theron Oxley on Saturday, December 3. Word has it that he will be a little bit less than 50 this year — just the littlest bit.
Theron, Vickie and granddaughter Blair attended the annual Cameron family Thanksgiving at Moody, Mo. on Thursday. Aunts, uncles and cousins from Vickie’s father, the late Charlie Cameron’s, side of the family always get together at the community center there for a day-long celebration.
Lee and Janis Ray, along with son, Buddy, his wife, Sabrina, and their daughters, Savannah and Bethany, of Mansfield, joined Jan’s sister, Karen and her husband, Corky Mahan, of Pontiac, and their family for Thanksgiving. The Mahans are the parents of four daughters and 11 – yes, eleven – granddaughters, and they were all home for the big meal and get-together. Jan said it was quite a houseful!
Ralph and Kay Johnson shared a cozy Thanksgiving dinner for two on Thursday at their home in Almartha, and then on Saturday traveled to Alton for a Mexican feast at the home of Ralph’s daughter, Elizabeth and husband Kirk Blau. Joining them was Ralph’s son, Mike Johnson, wife Kim and grandson Skyler of Salem, Mo.
Mike and Glynda Mashek enjoyed a quiet dinner with her sister and brother-in-law, Tracy and Patrick White. The Whites recently moved to Ozark County, and Mike and Patrick are busy working on the lake house for them to live in.
Norma Eslinger hosted 17 family members for Thanksgiving dinner. Sons Steve and Dave and daughters Karen and Kathy and various members of their families gathered for a traditional feast.
As the weather turns toward winter, Norma’s family is encouraging her to make more rice bags. These are Norma’s take on a popular commercial product that is heated in the microwave and then placed wherever a little extra warmth is needed, perhaps at the foot of a cold bed or draped across a sore neck. Norma sews a tube out of muslin and then fills it (not too full!) of plain old uncooked rice. She closes up her little pillow, adding a handle/strap to the end to make it easy to handle the pillow when it’s hot. Norma has given these little warming pillows to friends and family who say they work perfectly. Sounds like this craft would make a great Christmas gift!
