It has been awhile. It has been a busy while.
Approximately 7 weeks ago my grandmother, Toothless Granny had a stroke. Apparently it was a pretty severe stroke, however she has done rather well. Interestingly, she has been able to spell verbally, yet was unable to recognize individual letters. The human brain is amazing. Well, Granny wasn't going to let that get in her way, She started studying her letters knows most of them. with little trouble. Her amazing recovery has been off-setting to medical folks. They figure she should be bed ridden and in a home. She has been working hard to overcome the weaknesses she got with the stroke. Fascinating, she lost her right side vision in each eye.
About a week after Granny's stroke, a buddy of min succumbed to cancer. What a great guy. We lose the good ones to soon. He left behind a beautiful wife and and a 1st grade daughter. He was incredibly positive right until the end. .
Just a few weeks ago my grandfather's wife of 32 years, Grandma Ginny passed away from liver cancer. I headed back toArkansas to help take care of business and help out my grandad. I didn't expected to be needed as much I was. The funeral was respectful and nice. I was fortunate that I was able to meet relatives that I had never met before. It was really neat to fall into sync with these people who I knew not from Adam. We all shared good memories of Ginny. While I was out there I was able to travel a little bit. I drove to Salisaw, OK and had some lunch. I visited the Fort Smith Museum. That was fun. Fort Smith is an interesting place. Judge Isaac Parker, the Hanging Judge had his courthouse there. Fort Smith was the last court house before the Indian country. A lot of outlaws made their final home at the end of Judge Parker's noose. I picked up a book on Bass Reeves. Bass Reeves was a black US Deputy marshal. Very intriguing. The book relates the stories about Bass Reeves in an almost mythical way. The old Fort still stands , as do the gallows. I drove all around the area and enjoyed the places and people.
As soon as me mum and I landed, I got sick. So did me lovely wife Salma Gundy. She ended up with ear infections and a sinus infection. I merely got the gunk.. We are both starting to feel better. I should hope so, it has only been a week.
In the meantime, we have been working on our Steampunk jewelry. I will get some pics up of them soon.
We missed going to the Swallows Day Parade in San LJuan Capistrato. The Alliance of the Double Cross, however, won 1st place in the parade for Best Historical Interpretation. What do pirates have to do with with San Juan Capistrano. Well, perk up your eyes lads and lasses.
In 1818, the mission was visited by California's only
pirate, Bouchard. Equipped with two sailing ships, he attacked missions
on the coast in the name of a South American province which was engaged
in revolt against Spain. His connection with the revolutionists was more
fiction than fact, but he found it provided a convenient excuse for his
attack on the settlements. Having been warned of Bouchard's approach,
Padre Geronimo Boscano gathered up his neophytes and
fled into the interior. The little mission guard made a feeble effort to
hold off the pirates, and succeeded only in spurring their foes to do
greater damage. When the padres
returned, they blamed the soldiers more than the pirates for conditions
they found, especially as the wine barrels seemed to be the principal
objects of attack.
http://www.californiamissions.com/morehistory/sjcapistrano.html
For the next little bit, I will be doing some more leather-work, Steampunk work and I am going to try a few different projects. I am going to practice my bagpipes and I just bought a violin. If you have any thoughts or suggestions, I am all ears.
Keep an eye out fro pics of the jewelry we are making. If you have any thoughts or ideas for new projects, let me know.now.
