30 Days of Thanks - Day 1...

My daughter Jacki (who hasn't blogged for many, many months) has decided that since November is the month of Thanksgiving, she's going to post 30 days of things she's thankful for.   I thought that was a great idea and will join her.

As I've watched my best friend over the last month, cancer has finally taken it's terrible toll.   I have to be extremely grateful that I am still here. I can't tell you how many times over the last month Sue has said to me, "aren't we lucky that we have husbands like Cliff and Ival?"

Yes Sue, we are.  Ival is such a loyal husband and even though was have a rather "different" relationship, he stands by me.   We often talk about how we have to stay together because no one else would have either of us!  But, we love each other and drive each other nuts at the same time.  There's no one like us - except Matt and Amy Roloff of Little People Big World.  If you watch that show, that's us -  to a T.

Ival and I met when he was 15 and I was 17.  We dated for a while, broke up, dated, broke up, dated, broke up and then dated and got married!  It's now been 26 years and it's been a lot of fun.  He entertains me daily and has taken such good care of me.

So, to Ival/Elmer (depending on what stunts he's pulled that day), thank you for loving me, putting up with me, and being willing to travel this road through life that has produced 3 wonderful children, 7 wonderful grandchildren, and a journey that we will always look back on and be able to laugh at.

Here's a quick reminder of life with Elmer...

So, our buyers don't want the chickens.  We have a community "hen house" down by the community barn.  So, while the hens were roosting last night, Elmer gathered them all up and seatbelted them into the truck.

 

Just kidding.  We stuffed them into a 24 x 12 Rubbermaid container and threw the container into the back of the truck, in the dark of night.

We pulled down near the barn and noticed a truck there.  The lights were on in the old farmhouse that's been restored so Elmer decided that the truck people must be in there.  Lights off, we pulled up near the fence, Elmer quietly go out, retrieved the Rubbermaid chickens, and tip-toed off into the dark.  Moments later, I see him tip-toeing back, container in arms - obviously still heavy with chickens.

"Oh shit, was there somebody out there?"
"Yeah, somebody was in the hen house with a flashlight."
"Now what are we going to do?"
"Let's go home and come back in 15 minutes."

So, the Rubbermaid chickens rode back home until we felt it was safe.  We drove back down just as the truck was leaving the farm.  Lights off, we pulled up next to the fence and repeated the process, this time however, Elmer came back with an empty container.

I guess we'll have to stop by the farmhouse today and see if the girls survived the night - out alone, with the owls and coyotes.  If they did, they'll have a great life living in that hen house with all the other girls.
 
Here's to another 26...