Fellow merchants in Faught

Our trip to reconstruct the window surround took several unprogramed turns but with a little slight of hand the sill and other framing boards are done. As far as we can tell one person cut the hole in the outside steel wall while another cut the hole on the inside steel wall, however they were not exactly lined up. Still the result of Mike and Bill's labor is clean and functional.

I am thankful for Will who scrubbed the steel beam, sometimes with steel wool. He also removed an electric cord to what looks like a defunct stereo system.

Jody brought us chex mix, Detroit papers and a phone directory. The phone directory is especially prized as we already have need of propane information and more. I hope you are all reading her informative weather blog (see the link in the side panel).

We hauled the lighted cabinet purchased from Western Warehouse and got it in place. I do not have a picture as my new camera only charges on the computer. My old one that was simple sure looks good as I face constant difficulties over the bells and whistles on this one but those water spots were getting a bit tiresome so I will count my blessings and have pictures later.

Before we left Cedar Hill I was looking at older emails and found one I missed fromPhilip. I do not know where he and his wife, Beverly, currently live but they plan to move back to Faught. At some point in the 1950-60's Philip helped his Dad harvest grain along 410. He remembers swimming in the Red River it being warm water only a foot or so deep. Many of you in Kanawha may remember Todd's General Mdse store at Faught. H.A. ran it for the best part of 10 years.

Philip said, "When I was walking back to the field, I came across a big white monument that, as I recall, said it marked the spot where several people were killed in an Indian raid. I wonder if you know if it still exists and where it is located? I seem to recall that it was near the old Wright Plantation home place, but things have gone fuzzy after so much time."

Maybe some of you readers remember this monument too and can help him out.

Our mail lady brought us our first bit of mail. The New Pig Catalog!

http://www.newpig.com/

We have applied to sell food from our store in the state of Texas. I am also on my second draft of the application to sell cigarettes. I wish these papers were straight forward in simple language...maybe my stupidity is just showing but a few more calls to the hot line in Austin and I should get it right. I don't plan to carry too many cigarettes but if someone asks, we need to be able to supply the basic brands. Of course my Smoke Deter herbal supplement will be on the same shelf:0)

We have contacted Leah at Sears and she is making a list of products for the store. We are looking at the possibility of getting a loan to put the appliances in place. It might make some of the services we rejected possible. There is the store checking account we need to open and the propane tank we do not have and the list goes on. I have a new appreciation for anyone who ever opened a store of any kind. But we seem to be at the end of phase one if we can just leap these last few hurdles.

We purchased sheets of acrylic to slide a few necessary signs under on the check out side of the counter. They last better than glass, do not cut and are cheaper.

The sons installed the new lights so we can see again. We need four new fixtures at some time in the future. The rest scrubbed up nicely and wires seem in good shape even the one bulb that has a decidedly pink color to it.

Short has been ok in my lifetime. However the last doctor visit I lost a whole inch in height. The nurse, who was all of 30, laughed and said "Oh, it happens all the time!" I began to realize I could not get the groceries into the big bags unless I got an equalizer of some kind so an old coke crate in front of the cashregister was the perfect answer. It gave back my lost inch and a few more.

We open in July and with in a few months expect to have deer hunters as customers. I found the Texas Hunting Forum on line and after reading about deer hunting for several hours decided the only way to know what a hunter needs is to ask. I signed up and they responded to my question about what do hunters run out of with several lists. Those men were willing to help a non hunter out as long as it was out of season. The lists were much appreciated.

March we hope to rent a nail gun that will penetrate concrete. Our plumbing skills should improve with experience. The propane line shall be extended. Lots of prayers needed here.

In response to next months challenges Bill inventoried the First Aid Kit.

Kanawha Community to Kansas City

Our trip to work on the store in January was delayed due to Bill's work requiring him to stay in the area so a week later we made a Thursday through Saturday trip with Sunday reserved for Bill and the SuperBowl...his Steelers won! How about that 100 yard run?

The water was off when we arrived but we had bottled water left over from the Christmas Gathering. It was back on before we left Saturday.

We bought two more sets of shelving for the storage area. Bill made quick work of assembling them and we determined we need at least one more to finish out the wall. We have another warehouse membership, this one at Costco.

While we were looking at shelves Will found the backside of an 18 wheeler and managed to total his little truck. He was not hurt but his ability to get around has been seriously changed. The 18 wheeler had two bent reflecters.

We met Jerry, who is a knowledgeable man who can help us with plumbing, electric outlets, construction and anything else we get stuck on. We hired him to work for us in February. His help is sure to make the opening of the store more plausable. We are very grateful to our son Tim for telling us about him.

We made our first trip to Paris Lumber and were greeted with friendly people who didn't mind sending us to another store if the product we needed was cheaper and ready to be picked up. We found a paneling product we need for the wall around the window five dollars cheaper at Paris Lumber and will return for it in two weeks. Nice folks at Paris Lumber!

Last trip we had a small invasion of ladybugs in the trailer. This trip we only found one. Bill said she was asleep but she looked dead to me. I think it got too cold.

The postwoman Ms. Shelby stopped to ask if we wanted to be added to her route. I guess we are official now as we can get junk mail. Seems businesses get walk up delivery so no mailbox is required. We look forward to seeing her again.

The lights in the store have been going out two by two so we bought replacement bulbs half price at Home Depot. They come 15 to a box which seemed an odd number to us but maybe there is a reason for this we do not understand. Two 8 ft bulbs fit in a fixture. We were down to 2 that worked.

KANSAS CITY COUSINS

Evelyn said she is descended from Tennessee Texas Graham Bowman of Bowman Hill, and from John Cassimer Perot. There was a legendary aunt in her family born Johnnie Walker, and the Harts have been friends with some of her Perots. The old family farmhouse burned down years ago near Kanawha.

It was good to hear from her. I hope she finds her way back to Kanawha.

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We stopped to visit with my parents on the way home. They have not been feeling well. Maybe the cold weather we have had is making it harder to get around and remember the order of things. I think they are looking forward to Spring.

Western Warehouse Demise Our Gain

It is sad to see a store or series of stores close their doors. We were looking for a pair of boots and found three sets of shelving. The doors on our local Western Warehouse store will close forever within the next few weeks. We were blessed to purchase a sturdy tall cabinet with the Texas Star on the end, hanging racks and shelves on both sides for a fraction of its value. We will also have a lighted glass display cabinet to be picked up at a later date and a hat rack Bill plans to modify. The hat rack was a Christmas gift from our son Will and the delivery of the first unit was helped by Michael who can attest to its weight. We feel very blessed as this finishes out the shelving needs for the store except for one unit.

Our family hopes yours is having a wonderful New Year.

CHRISTMAS BREAK

Merry Christmas

from our family to yours

Thanksgiving Remembered

My Grandmother never baked a turkey. She served chicken and dressing made from the left over cornbread and biscuits of meals past and a speckled hen from her own yard. We had red potatoes smothered in butter churned in her lap in a fruit jar. The screened in porch sheltered a table heavy with desserts. Berry cobbler with crust somewhere between flakey and chewy cardboard made with berries she harvested along the fence row and soaked in sugar. Dark chocolate pie so rich you could only eat a small sliver at a time. Washed down with heavy goblets of iced tea.

As the six grown children arrived with their wives and children in tow the yard filled with trucks and cars resting under the giant oak tree that dwarfed her little white frame house. The cousins checked out the old moma cat and counted her kittens and shared cautions like don’t go near the rooster “cause he’ll flog ya”. Then everyone was called inside to pray. Most of us didn’t hear much more than Amen cause we were twenty strong in a three room house but we bowed our heads and listened just the same. Then the kids went back outside to play until called so the MEN could sit down to eat. In her house the men ate first, then the kids were served and finally the women who had slaved to prepare everything, sat down to eat their meal, before they began the massive clean up.

After the feast was over adults reclined along the walls in cane bottom chairs like beached whales. All to full to make much conversation. My grandmother would take off her apron and sit down for the first time in hours. I know she was tired but she never complained. She would try to coax one of her sons to eat one more piece of pie but they would just tell her how good it was and they were just too full for another bite. The white cloth would cover the desserts and one by one the folks would leave for home amid hugs and goodbye tears. And that was Thanksgiving in Kanawha.