Christmas 2007

http://www.newsweek.com/id/76929

article about rural stores selling unhealthy food

Listen...the leaves are laughing

If we are in the path of a tornado I'll be under this very heavy cabinet Bill built. It is by far the sturdiest thing he has constructed. It looks pretty good too. It provided a base for our 25 dollar bargain desk top. It is the first thing we have installed on the right side of the store and the last construction this year. the top has a sliding compartment where we can keep pre-season cards. To get the finish to match the top we painted a dollar can of opps brown first and let it show through the black top coat this created a fairly close match and the used comfortable look we want.

The door frame for the restroom got put on but will need a finish coat of white paint. The choice of lumber with bumps and bruises helps it blend well with what was already on the baseboards from 1970. We owe some of the character of the store to Vann who used heavy sturdy wide boards to build with.

The baskets are salvaged school locker room finds. We will use them to display fresh produce or packaged dinners. We hung them on the grocery side after a fresh coat of crisp green paint.

Lots of painting on the shelves was done and left to complete but all and all it was a good trip.

We went for a walk and saw a doe and her fawn. They were about a city block from the store just lounging by the lane. It was a beautiful sight. We collected crimson leaves that floated down from the trees. They were chattering all crisp and curled as they fell.

We had a visit from a friend of Lonnie Ham's who said he is not well. We will keep him in our prayers.

We added Camel Lights cigarettes, bean dip, motor oil and plumbing supplies to our MUST CARRY list.

It didn't rain! The weather was perfect, but as we left wind began to gust, probably relieving the trees of the rest of their leaves. Kanawha in November is picture perfect.

burnin rubber

This flattened stop sign was in Woodland four miles south of Kanawha. The hay trucks two stories high, their long beds outlined in neat strips of white Christmas lights thundering past our little store like tyrannosaurus rex made us keenly aware it is hay-haulin time.

We stretched our wall of grocery shelves from 8 to 16 feet. Running out of board and sweat we quit six shelves short, but the grocery out side section is mostly done. The turning of the end shelves sturdied up the unit and we are confident they will not be the cause of any grocery fatilities.

We will skip to the opposite side of the store in November and leave the aisle shelving till last so we have room to work. The next section is office/stationary/school supplies. We frequent a wonderful junk store that sells parts and damaged bits of furniture. The top portion of this next project was a $25 dollar bargain we found and with a bit of tlc think it will be a wonderful addition to the store.

Ray Spencer dropped by to ask about the store. He sells campers in Paris, but owns land nearby. He ask if we plan on serving breakfast at the store. We already have two breakfast items on our menu but this interest may make us think about a third. We were told this has become a popular deer hunting area. Guess we will have to consult our resident pro hunter Clint about what hunters reload, run out of and eat. Out Grandson and his dad Chuck have been hunting deer for years now.

We drove Woodland to Detroit and saw the Good Hope Ranch has started drilling for something. Oil maybe? The rig is quit impressive. The Circle C which has put short horns on their property in Kanawha, has been painting their fence posts white. In another move, they have been fencing some of their near Detroit property with a taller more dense fencing. Not sure if they are keeping something in ot out, but not the usual cattle fence we see on other ranches. In any respect, it is certainly a warm fuzzy feeling to see activity.

We celebrated my parents birthdays. They were born on the 10th and 12th of October so we just have one big party. Combined we needed about 160 candles, but settled for 96. It took three of us to light them all, the cake got so hot the candles melted wax on the melting icing. we sent Timothy to carry it in to them never thinking about his long beard! I think he got away with just a little singe. My moma's comment, "wait till next year". Our Granddaughter Danielle took this "perfect" picture. She is an honor student with athletic ability but maybe she has a bit of photo genius too. Danielle and her mother, Tammy, helped make this family gathering come together.

It rained, my camera got wet, I pulled something in my back that shouldn't be pulled, Bill got blisters and splinters, but this store is a labor of love and like all good things it is at times a bit painful. I can not remember seeing so many blue butterflies. The sasafras is turning red. The outside of our traveltrailer has mildewed. And did I say, it rained again.

Jericho

Our son Timothy spent his Saturday in Kanawha completing the roof for us. It is outstanding like everything he does! I defy anyone to have a whiter roof or at least until the first dirt lands on it. Thank you again Tim.

We called the Glass people in Paris and got an estimate on replacing the door on the side of the building. I hope each of you lingers at the door of your favorite store and marvels at the beauty of the glass chrome that swings your way. One thousand three hundred ninety five dollars...approximately. On the up side the things are nearly indestructible and are installed with weather stripping and framing if needed. BIG OUCH! Putting a commercial glass door on the side of the building will not only let more light in the nether regions of the building but will make entering much more pleasant. We want to stay consistent with the front of the building door we were already blessed with so will match it as best we can when we are ready to replace the existing solid door.

Our trip on Monday was our first attempt to cover the walls on the inside of the building. This is important to close all the holes so air conditioning becomes a possibility. The solid back on the shelving will also look better and keep merchandise from sifting down in the waffle steel walls that are there now. The problem is a difficult one because it requires a material that can attach at only two places where there are 2x4's. That is not such a issue until you realize shelves can not be free standing in a store where they might take out a customer if they fell on them.

On a happy note: The paint lady at Home Depot where we shop was outstanding. She took the square of metal Bill managed to gouge off the wall and matched the paint so well we think we will be able to touch up the ceiling with it later. What a blessing. She also gave us two paint sticks an opener and glued an extra formula to the back of our sample! As Bill so aptly put it, "We don't get this kind of service from our Home Depot in Cedar Hill".

After two days of wrangling with plywood, nails, screws and one whacked thumb we got the 6 feet of shelves up and though not attached to the wall at the top yet are fairly strong as long as they are empty and no wind is blowing. Bill also created a wonderful mop/broom display table for the corner where we will have cleaners and dustpans for sale. We didn't cut anything off and nothing fell on us so it was a great trip.

While we were there we enjoyed the mowed and sprayed grounds around the store thanks to Jody who out did herself. In addition she shared some of her ant killer and blueberry muffins with us so Bill was happy. Jody told us the grandaughter of Blake Boulware has moved into the house across the way. Blake was the son of George W. Boulwares oldest son James.

The Allen and Sons truckers came by and talked a bit. They were in Kanawha hauling logs. They said they would be back for ribs. Bologna sandwiches were requested. This requires another look see at those slicing machines we thought were out of our reach.

Mowers parked across from the store and for two days they mowed neat swaths down the country lanes near the store. One of the mowers came in and ask if we had a box for his kitten. He was careful to poke holes so it was cool and told us his wife loved cats and would be pleased when he returned home. Another potential customer!

Speaking of cats. Bill said the moma cat who hunts near our store is bloated or expecting. What are the odds? Kittens to look forward to:0)

On the way home we stopped to visit with my parents. We gave them our progress report and they ask questions and shared memories about the store when Charlie Hart owned it in the 1930's.

It began to rain. It has rained almost every trip we make.

That's not SNOW

Timothy and Sandra were in Kanawha on Sunday painting on the roof and back corner of the building. They had to squeeze it in between rain. Tim said he will finish up on another date. He used an industrial shiny white to reflect the sun and give our store top a crisp clean look. We are so excited to get this done. Thank you!!!

We are sad to find out we have no septic tank but glad to quit looking. Jody and Gerald Pardue came over to talk to Tim and they told him they may be able to help us with a solution that is economical and requires a bit of back hoe help from Stephen for installation. We seriously thank God for cousins and kids.

Michael and Timothy made pictures for us. Someday when we are all settled in and the store is finished maybe we can look back at these and chuckle.

WHEN is the question

Friday night Bill and I made a quick trip through lightening that made the sky look like it formed a jigsaw puzzle inorder to get a quick start on the last bit of painting on the cedar and trim. We finished it up and headed home not even stopping for a visit with my parents because the thought of driving through that again was more than we wanted to deal with.

While we were painting the mail lady stopped to say hi and ask when the store would be open. It was good to see her friendly face but we have no answer. At one point we thought we knew but experience has left us sure we do not. We did promise we would post a sign on the door with the future opening date as soon as we knew when that might be. I hope no one is holding their breath.

We have a list of to-dos as long as all our arms put together and everytime we tic one off we find three to take it's place. I am an obsessive list maker. But with no store resurrecting experience I can list all I want the cows will just not be comin home till they are good and ready.

My having an agenda for each of our work days has left a long list of unfinished todos in its wake. Some items will be last minute but most of the inside store construction primarily covering the inner walls with shelving and constructing the free standing shelves for the asiles will be done on our next long work weekends ie 6 months. While we are between these work days we have purchased several sturdy furniture items for the interior of the store.

Fortunately for storage purposes our last two children are moving out giving us a bedroom for storage and also one for the sleepovers that may happen occasionally:0)

We continue to be on the outlook for the best recipes we can find and talk about how to pull this transition off continues. Somehow we must transition from Bills job to the store so all kinds of how to do this ideas are floating around to be discussed and discarded. Somewhere in there is a college graduation for our youngest and training for us on how to run a store.

I think it may be possible to predict our store opening by the end of next spring but that too can change.

NO ONE WANTS TO OPEN THIS STORE SOONER THAN I DO

The inside of the store will contain 3 tables and 13 chairs. There will be a cabinet for kitchen items, one for linens and clothing items, one for office/school supplies. The remaining areas are shelving, peg boards and baskets and pails filled with items such as garden, hardware, cleaners, tools, auto, feed and pet supplies. In addition we hope to have a small toy display mounted on the wall and a book case with books, movies etc. Just like Mr Whittle remembered, "some of everything".

Groceries will have an area all to themselves. I know the new stores have you zig zagging all over the place to find something for dinner but I hate that ploy to make you spend more time in the store. If you want to sit a spell we will be tickled to have you, but no need to keep a feller who is in a hurry to get home. It is just honest and fair to make a store easy to use. Hangin' out should be a choice.

104 and climbin'

When it came right down to it we just couldn't remove all that history. So we cut out all the rotten wood and replaced it with cedar that is as close as todays cuts would allow. Seems that during the past 40 years boards got thinner and narrower.

Arriving at the trailer Friday evening we had the unpleasant surprise ants had found their way into our trailer and about 3AM Bill is hopping around the trailer yelling ants are in the bed. I flip my pillow over to show him it is all in his head and there are three ants doing a square dance so we spent a good bit of the night stripping the bed and spraying until the fumes put us to sleep. At one point Will who is in the bunk above us leans down and tells us to

turn out the light and go to sleep.

That sent Bill and I into a fit of giggles to think we have been telling children to turn out the light and go to sleep for years and at last they are having to tell us!

Mary Frances is training her horses for the State Fair Showing, Stephen has been so busy he can't look up with all the rain causing double the mowing and Timothy is working many weekends trying to get painting done now that it finally dried out, this left Mike and Will to help us out.

I can truthfully tell you I thought we might melt. The weather man forcasted 102 but the thermometer said 104 and we believe it. At some point we were brushing on half paint and half sweat. Needless to say we did not get everything finished. The plan is now shifting to next weekend when we hope to finish the painting. We will only have 2 days so I doubt the posts will get tackled.

Jody stopped to say hi and brought some zucchini bread. She has offered to slay the poison ivy. I think she is a professional so it was a wonderful offer. She said Gerald's mother was sharing family information with her so we will be able to fill in more blanks on the family tree. I look forward to her information. Bobbie Easterwood has also offered to supply information to some of the areas of her family branch. The Easterwood family has been a blessing to us. We continue to pray for Vic Easterwood's health.

Family Facelift

We are contemplating what a new face will require. Hopefully we can complete this transformation in one weekend but considering our past experience we anticipate a mostly done situation at best.

Here is the plan:
We will remove the old siding from the front of the building. This siding holds many fond memories for our children and it has set off quite a debate.
Do we try to rescue and treat it? Do we replace it with more cedar siding? The answer is within the siding itself. It is very rotten, having not been treated for a long time and not savable. The price of new cedar siding is out of the question. This leaves us with new siding and we have opted for real wood not man made.

Before we can put on the new siding we will put up insulation and the new siding will be added over this. Then we need to frame out the windows and if we have time cover the posts with 1x12's.

All this bare wood needs caulked, primed and painted.

Estimated costs run around $500.00. Home Depot sent us a 25 dollar gift card and no interest on charge purchases coupon. Our orange card had faded to a sort of dingy peach color so they sent us a new one of those too. When I was a kid there was a song
http://www.lyricsdownload.com/ernie-ford-16-tons-lyrics.html
...It went something like this...

16 tons and what do you get

another day older and deeper in debt

Saint Peter don't you call me

cause I can't go

I owe my soul to the home-de-pot store

OK, I changed it a bit but you get the idea.

I am studying marketing and purchasing. I walk in Kroger and Walmart trying to learn by observation. Just how tall should a shelf be and where should it be placed. Does a store that sells more in a day than we will purchase in 6 months really have anything in common with our store? Truly I probably learn more from what a consumer needs to know than what the conglomerates are doing.

Like this 10 things your grocery store doesn't want you to know article.

http://health.msn.com/print.aspx?cp-documentid=100165289&page=0

It is refreshing to know our baskets will have fewer germs and be washed more often than any large stores.

I have been trying to come up with a friendly restroom sign. Something that says:

One at a time,

both sexes,

one at a time,

you need a key and

it is up front

where you need to sign for it and

oh by the way,

please leave it clean and

if you are from the city

we have a whole FYI about septic tanks for you to read and

we hope you have not wet your pants by the time we actually give you a key.

still trying to chew what we bit off

Seemed like a simple straightforward task. We had Michael with us for help. However the third day came and went with the inside front wall still not near finished. How can painting one big flat wall barn red be so difficult? I guess the 99 nails in the wall, sanding, priming and two coats to cover were daunting enough on hind sight. The removal of the hog wire which had three coats of paint where it wasn't bare metal and the spray painting both sides which took an unbelievable 2+ cans to cover each side in sizzling heat seemed to last forever. I think it entertained the citizens of Kanawha though. The hog wire had to be cut with the grinder, another slow task not considered when we allowed four days. If you look closly at the goggles the guys are wearing you will notice one pair is usually worn playing racketball, a bit of improvising on Bills part:0) The framing out of the inside window was way easier to draw on paper than to execute. The two panes of new glass are still on the floor because Michael suggested they were safer there, so will put new glass in on another day. Seems empty buildings attract stray bullets like a bee to honey. There is a good bit of white painting to do on the 4 inch trim around the door but most of the difficult work is finished. One nice feature of the new window frame is it is installed with screws which makes it much sturdier and removable so washing the glass is easier.

We got a visit from Mr Easterwood, a cousin. He told us he hunted rabbit and squirrel all over Kanawha when he was as young as 10 and visiting his Grandparents, Ambrose and Opal Boulware. It reminded me about the banana candy Opal always kept for my mother. I guess we will carry banana candy. Opal was like that, always kind and willing to go out of her way to please. It was the tradition of hospitality that drew people to their store and made them linger. He also told us about the original store on our site burning when Charlie Hart owned it. He was a welcome sight on such a grueling work trip.

We waved to Gary Stewart as he passed on his mail route Saturday. Gary is another cousin, Grandson of Ernest Boulware. Gary has gone out of his way to make us feel at home and it is much appreciated.

We did check out the Sears store, where we priced AC window units and other appliances we will need. Window units should run about $400.00 each if we can find them on sale. Our goal will be to prep holes to set them in next spring so they can be purchased before the heat hits in the summer. Sears is one of the few places that will service appliances in this rural area.

One GIANT STEP

This is the color of the building as Tim sprays. Unfortunately the shot of the whole building did not come out. So will share that one next time. Tim said satin sheen is more durable. He also told us some sealers can not be painted over.
After the building was painted we had a steady stream of neighbors drop by and say they liked the color or it looked good.

I can tell you it is a giant step toward our opening the store but one of many needed to finish the lengthy list of to dos we still have.

Stephen is searching for a door man for us. Bill is still waging a loosing battle with the poision ivy that just keeps coming back. We are trying to find a 30 by 30 space on this property to build a cottage that does not cross over a water line, electric line or pole, gas line, sewer line or obstruct our ability to do business. It will require a miracle only Mother Theresa could manage but still there is hope.

Bill has some vision a neighbor will sell us a plot of land close to the store but I am focused on the store that seems to have it's own problems stacked too high to see over.

In addition to the miracle of paint we got to eat the Bar B Q Bill made and it was wonderful again. That is three successful Bar B Q Ribs he has produced. Tasty enough thinking about them makes you hungry and yummy everytime.

Men like to BarBQ

Men will cook

if danger is involved

John Wayne

How many brothers fit on a log?

Exterior Paint 101 and Four Brothers

THANK YOU Timothy! Also thank Stephen, Michael and William who all contributed hours of their time and received little more than a scorching sunburn for their work. What would we ever do without the generosity of our children? We are very blessed.

To paint a 38 year old steel building Timothy tells us we will need to power wash it after every bolt is tightened and sealed. Of course he actually does most of this labor himself but he does get a bit of help from his three brothers. Power washing begins on the roof and finishes on the sides. This is followed by spraypainting the sides and back. The roof is saved for another trip and the front of the building must be delayed because of new siding materials the humidity is really high and the heat is intense sunburning my arms and I am on the ground manning the camera trying to look like this is helping.

The three brothers help with verbal commands and jokes while Timothy does a professional job in record time. The Dad manages to clear the sides of grass and trash. He also hauls off the third but not last truck full of trash. He burns limbs and wood for two days and we are beginning to see the mountain shrink.

Dish Issues

How many Christophers does it take to unscrew a ceiling fan? Three, one Dad to hold the screw driver and two sons to turn the ladder. This coming trip is all about our son Timothy organizing us into a paint screw tightener sealer washer crew. His own little family army of parents and siblings. As a side venture we hope to get the old ceiling fans down and possibly new ones up.
http://www.acemart.com/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=C9
Some of the planning for serving food involves plates bowls and cups. So on our 26th anniversary we were crusing the asiles of resturant supply in Arlington. We were sticker shocked by exactly how much those plates cost! The bill for a divided plate 11" by 1" deep and bowls to match with a complimentary color mug for coffee runs over 500 dollars with out tax or shipping added. OUCH! This is double what I had budgeted based on what dishes for a home usually cost.
http://catalog.carlislefsp.com/dinnerware.html
Here is a break down on our conclusions about what to buy. A round plate 9 to 10 inches with several serving dishes for sides is not only difficult to pass and carry it is far more expensive almost double. The question of what will fit on a plate and what colors look most appetizing or coordinate with the store or keep our country look were all considerations. The mugs were easy. A big mug easy to fill and carry, comfortable to hold and classic style made it a no brainer but you would be surprised at exactly how difficult that can be to find.
http://www.servu-online.com/Bar-Refrigeration-Restaurant-Refrigeration/Commercial-Refrigerators.asp
Pottery was our first choice but plastic won out when we considered dishes in the sink to wash and possible dropped or chipped. The color was set when we found some crock style pictures in several sizes. They have a speckled finish with a deeper color inside and will help make the plastic seem a bit more homey, we got one size for the syrup and one for the BBQ sauce we have not yet developed. Please note we bought Texas/US/AMERICAN when ever possible and European as a second choice. No made in China if possible.

We had to consider the size of each meat and side as well as color so the food looked appealing. We discovered the ribs we have settled on were large and needed a good deal of space, pickles are long, slaw can be mounded and beans run everywhere, so inch deep plates were needed. We decided on cloth napkins that are generous, country colors and can double as a bib and will wrap the fork and spoon. The cloth napkins will also help soften the plastic plates.

Some ways we will save money initially are no buns or sandwiches just a bread (type as yet undetermined). All sugar creamer and other sweetener will be in a server on each table we found on sale at the rest-sup store. No glasses or urns for tea (plan to add these after we get store up and running). Menu is set at certain items we will always serve (while other items will come later reducing costs of what ingredients we will need on hand and hopefully have a few excellent items).

We have reduced the amount we need to spend on ref and frez units by half after discovering some nice smaller units we plan to refill as needed and will definitely help with opening the store where we went from over 4000 to over 2000. Great savings!

The never ending saga of the missing septic tank continues. We continue to dig and pray alternately.

The paint we are using on the store is a whole subject by its self and I will get to that with pictures after this long weekend. But think space and beyond.

The Fathers Day Anniversary and Bills upcoming Birthday were covered by ordering these items: 18 quart roaster oven, 12 cup food processer and unique waffle iron. I do not think the Amazon people have their act together and will avoid ordering from them again. Polite but inept would be my verdict. Saved a good deal of money by sticking to white and black appliances that will hopefully look clean. Costs about 200 dollars, another owie!

Have abandoned the idea of staining the floor even with professional son labor that costs hugs and all the Dr Peppers he can drink it is just money we don't have.

We are testing the ribs on our paint crew. Bill has prepared them twice and had is chewing bones and begging for more. But this is our first real test as kids at home are easier. Big kids and Grand kids verdict are most telling for future as their taste buds change once they leave home.

Steppin Up

Michael and moma were at the store finishing up painting for the overhead and counter cabinets. We put in one long day and a few extra hours. But the cabinets are getting there. With a country look the trick is to be worn but not dilapidated. Kind of like old blue jeans and knowing when they are cool and when to recycle into a pillow. These cabinets were close to a pillow as you can get but a tub of wood filler and sanding till you choke does wonders. One of these cabinets was Van Brock's original counter and it made us glad to save it. The Brock family is intertwined with mine on so many levels.

The David L Brock family settled in Kanawha about 1895. He was married to Lucy Hulsey both born in Georgia. They had seven children. My grandmothers oldest sister Swan Elizabeth Walker married Henry Washington Brock, David's oldest son. Another son George Reese Brock married Battle Boulware, my Grandfathers older sister. Still another son William Davis Brock married into the Walker family. His wife Maud Walker was my grandmothers cousin. These good families are buried at Kanawha Cemetery.

Research about whether we need a partnership or sole owner is going slowly. There are advantages to both. Sometime between now and next year we need to resolve the issues.

The cooking what to cook how to cook it and serve it is more complex than we first imagined. Bill experimented with a BarBQ rub that made us all hungry for more. We are trying to weigh these different aspects.

1. Cost to make vs what someone could resonably be expected to pay.

2. A product that is somewhat original and difficult enough someone would not likely cook it for themselves on a regular basis.

3. Something we can consistantly do without crying and screaming or giving up.

4. Foods that are healthy after being prepared.

5. A way to heat and cool foods on hold for customers.

6. A way to keep food sanitary but visible.

7. Food laws and regulations.

We will not be frying food though we know Cathy's burgers were very popular. The doctor says bake, broil, grill and boil. Since Bill and I anticipate spending 12 to 14 hour days in the store we must be able to eat this food also. God bless Cathy's fortitude for standing on her feet all day, besides we know the Novice burgers are somewhat famous and we are not here to compete but to offer a choice.

Billie Bell was right about that pile of tree parts we have beside the store. It has been too windy to burn them and we do not want to be known as the couple who burned down half of Kanawha. Trying to start this store while living three hour drive away is like trying to give birth with out being pregnant. I want say it can't be done with adoption and all but it takes twice as long and the interim time sure leaves your drawers hangin out for everyone to see.

I am trying to collect pictures of the folks around this area in cluding Kiamichi so we can display them in the store possibly have some genealogy records to share with anyone interested. I have about ten years of searching combined with what some other generous people have given me. I owe a great deal of my success to those who shared their labors of love.

We went to see my Aunt Jane (King) Boulware before we left. She is still such a pretty thing even at 94. I know she misses Ernest. Me too.

In a few days we will converge on Kanawha with a face lift part one in mind for the store. Our son Timothy will be painting the store top and sides. The face will be later.

The Sink is Sunk

We sank the sink and it works fine after the plumber and his trusty sidekick finished. Every trip is a trim, spray, mow, weed eat trip. This one included some burning as well. Will had an allergy attack and had to quit early but every single bit of help is appreciated. The hole where the mower is resting contained a whole nest of large Wolf spiders who did not take kindly to the mower invasion.

Michael is not holding his head because he got whacked with a board he is saying ...
DUH, we coulda done it that way! As you can see Bill and Mike got the cabinet top on with the hole cut and a sink sunk. This was truly a miracle and so fast too.

A good deal of Bill and Michael's time was spent putting the backing on the sink cabinet. We bought some kitchen and bath paint that should help keep it fresh looking. That painting part will have to happen next time.

We discovered several interesting things...the overhead cabinets are not hung evenly over the window which had us splitting the difference when it came to sink placement. The overhead cabinets will stay crooked as it would be a monumental task for 4 strong men to just remove them and that many more to put them back an inch and a half is not worth it. We stopped short of the second sheet of board that will finish off the back splash and window casing, but it is a difficult but doable task for the future.

The cabinets under the sink were scrubbed, sanded primed and old paint covered with the light brown we are using. We left the old aged shelves and plan to fill them with baskets.

We had a visit from Mr and Mrs Pryor. They invited us to their church and shared some of their history with us. Both natives of Red River County they purchased land near Kanawha in 1973 and after many years working in Dallas retired to their property in 2001. They used to eat in Kanawha when Van Brock ran the store.

We had the sad occasion to see a young man named McCoin hit a tree at the turn in the road. It is a big event when an ambulance, two wreckers, the Highway Patrol, The Sheriff and a fire engine all come to Kanawha.

We had a yellow stripe cat and a white with grey patches cat come into the yard to hunt. We do not know who they belong to but are very glad to see them visiting.

A Bob White family has taken up residence across 410. It was so comforting to hear them call one to the other with great confidence there would be an answer. Bill has taken up bird watching when he is not spraying wasps or poison ivy.

As usual we are both so stiff we can hardly walk. Actually Bill is so stiff he can hardly limp as he stubbed his toe and walks like Chester on Gunsmoke. We have determined we can only put in about three grueling days of this labor intensive work before we freeze up and can't move.

This trip we started several projects we will finish next time. Sometimes the thinking it through and try as you go phase take so long the fix part doesn't happen as in the cover up the pipes in the bathroom and repair the damaged wood on the cabinet.

June is going to be very exciting as we hope to gather the children and grandchildren to help Timothy paint the outside. This face lift will make a distinct impression for the better.

Before we left I tried to wash off as much dirt as possible and we drove to see my Aunt Jane Boulware in Kimatia. On the way we debated where Scrap used to be. I think it may have been at my Aunt Minnie Peterson's old place that sits on a hill to the right of 410. My Aunt Jane is in her 90's and still she is pretty as a picture. She is very quick and her mind is as bright as she is. I apologized for not calling. Our cell phone doesn't work correctly in this area. She was kind and welcomed us. She has a lady helping her out, I think her name was Charlese, who is very sweet. We could not stay long but I just wanted to tell her I loved her and would keep her in my prayers. She remembered Bill from Uncle Ernest's funeral.

Michael has volunteered to work at the store some this summer. We are excited to see so much progress until we see how very far we have left to go. Still it was wonderful to see a functioning sink in the kitchen area.

We feel over whelmed with so much kindness

We were rescued by our daughter Mary Frances and her husband Chuck who brought our Grandsons Charlie and Clint. They came bearing burn barrel gifts and cut down one tree that was too close to the store and one sequoya sized red oak that had fallen years ago and was somewhat petrified. It was wonderful to have so many helping hands and of course the hugs, encouraging words and company were priceless. We felt loved and very grateful for all the help.

While Bill and Chuck were moving limbs Mr Houston came calling. He said he was born in 1922. He told them years ago a post office had been straight across the road from the store. He was very friendly and informative.

We had a visit from Michael Bryant who kindly loaned us a prob to help find the septic tank. Unfortunately gravel was poured over the sand out back so the prob kept finding rocks. We appreciated the generous thought anyway. And it was good to see him again.

Tuesday John Shores came and he made short work of the bathroom fixtures and water heater move and installation. He is not just a professional who does excellent work but he is a kind man too. He wouldn't even take money from us until he has completed the kitchen sink install. Again we were blessed. Mr Shores wife is not well and we promised to keep her in our prayers.

Billie Bell stopped by to introduce herself and wish us well. It was good to finally meet her. We look forward to seeing her again.

Mrs. McCoin came calling after she finished helping Mrs. Crutchfield. She promised to be our customer. It is always a happy day to hear someone say they will buy from you even if you haven't opened your doors yet.

On our visit to Paris Bill got information from Stephen on where to buy propane. This was very helpful.

Bill used his new burn barrell once before we had to leave. I think he just had to give it a try. He also helped me roll a big stump from the redwood Chuck chopped onto the porch to be used in the store later.

We covered the front of the cabinet that faces the front door with chicken wire and moved the other cabinet to the U shape we think will best serve our needs. It was difficult to remove the old contact paper, scrub shelves and drawers, remove old formica top and sand and paint but the work was very rewarding. Everytime we looked outside at Chucks chainsaw cleared sunshine view and everytime we looked inside the restroom at the bright white fixtures which function as well as they look we got encouraged.

paper bag brown

The camera was recovered Sunday as we checked out the cabinet Mike and Will worked on for us. We have a picture Will took of Michael and a shot I got of Will as he lectured me about the cash register and inventory.

The cabinet looks really good in it's new shade of paper bag brown. We will use this same paint for quite a bit of the inside shelving and counter top area. it is the color we want Tim to paint the outside.

We are finalizing the placement of walls and shelves which have been drawn in so many different shapes and widths I can not say how many, but on Sunday we drew in the final version on the concrete floor with chalk and it made a few things clear. We had not left enough room for someone even with a small cart to navigate the asiles. So we enlarged them to 4 feet not three and we also had a few places mismeasured which actually worked to our advantage.

We drove to the Walmart in Clarksville and looked at the cabin samples Mr Hines told the boys about. We could not get inside but were thinking we would ask about prices/floor plans when we saw him next.

Bill sprayed the poision ivy again. But we do seem to be winning this battle. Some bulbs had come up probably from Cathy's efforts. There is a pretty red bud in the flower bed that is also too close to the store so must regretably cut it down too. It is small and should not pose much of a problem.

The store is beginning to change. Thank you again guys.

just imagine...

Two sons 17 and 25 single full of well you know what and alone in Kanawha. There were three things they were to get done for us.

1.sand prime paint a long counter that is topless and backless.

2.find dig and follow the sewer line to hopefully a septic tank.

3.remove old wood from porch beams.

When the labor is free from children you love one out of three is not bad at all.

It came a torrent of rain and had them inside trying to stay dry and not blow away which led to some interesting conversations and lots of laptop computer games. They did find the sewer line which should be very helpful when the old folks try to dig it up next week. They got the cabinet in pretty good shape for a top/back and touch up next week. Also folks job.

All in all they had some good brother time that included a poker game with Tim's Harley buddies and Stephen's friends. There is the beard challenge where they are all four trying to grow a beard. Tim seems to have the corner on this one. Tims beard is bushmans dream. Michael is looking like the devil with his red pointy chin one and Will looks like a Wolfman with his werewolf version. I have no idea where this will lead or how it relates to the store but should be a deterant to anyone thinking about robbery. I have not seen Stephen's yet, that might be for the best.

A man who owns some picture pretty 20 acres in Kanawha came by and talked to our two youngest sons. He has a deep fryer, metal table and other cooking supplies for sale but we will be roasting and baking food. Our tables will be sturdy wood versions so we capture an era gone bye. He did say he is a builder of cabins and wanted us to see his samples in front of Walmart. Possibly something to check out. I am sure the impression the guys left since they were into their third day of no bath was one to remember. No one in Kanawha has seen us clean since we bought the store as everyday has been a work day. I hope we can live that stinky image down.

All in all the guys had a good time and we got some work done that is one step closer to JUST IMAGINE...opening a store. That was one L O N G cabinet and with many coats of paint to sand through. Thank you Mike and Will! You done good!!!

There were some pictures camera man Will took but they are lost in a sea of dirty clothes at the time of this post.

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Meanwhile back home, Bill removed the old uneven tiles in the center of the rectangle table and he discovered too late they were glass and very sharp. I sanded it down between serving on jury duty and the big storm. The red stain we put on it is to mimic the wood on the round table we will also be using in the store.

We want to put wood pieces back into the table and make a checker board so it can be played on. Nice addition to the store if it comes together.

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Mary said Chuck will cut chop and haul the two trees in question at the store. She said he would not need any help unless they were sequoyas...I am so glad because this is one more thing we have been very concerned about. I know Stephen will be sad we had to get rid of the tree that is beside the store but its roots are tearing up the concrete floor, it is in the way of the cottage we plan to build on that side of the store, and it is a sweet gum which is one of those trees that has balls and Bill likes his trees without balls tho I can't say why.

Just call me Noah and Delay not Tom

The 410 Water Supply will turn on the water to the store with a deposit of $110.00. We expect this to happen before the end of March 2007.

We now have three monthly bills:

store payment, electric and water.

So far with some answered prayers and a few lifestyle changes we are staying afloat.

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The Income Tax Man

Seems the work and expense of the store will be tallied up when the store actually opens. This delay makes that interim time expensive, but it takes the burden of trying to file bits and pieces for several years off our shoulders. We bought a portable filing system with pockets to keep up with costs trips and other information about the process. I got this information from the IRS number I found on line for small businesses.