20	Winter	01
Linda White Box 311 Cheyenne, OK 73628	News from Monta | Garland’s Family | Ed’s Family Dale’s Family | Richard’s Family | Elmeda's Family Virginia’s Family	Joe Elder 813 SW 63 Oklahoma City, OK 73139
Volume 11	of the family, by the family, for the family	Issue 3

The cost is $2.00 per year (mailed). If you have an e-mail address, Joe can send you a newsletter via e-mail for free. So send him your e-mail address and save money. The news needs to come to Joe or me, Linda White. If you have any suggestions let us know. We will publish the newsletter four times a year. The deadline for your news to reach either Joe or me will be the 1st day of each new season i.e. June 21, September 22, December 21, March 21. The newsletter should be out a week later, give or take a day or so. We won’t send out reminders, so be sure to mark your calendars now. If we don’t have to send out reminders, we can keep the prices lower. Linda White Editor News from Monta I’m doing quite well- Lots of activity helps-as does caring for friends, family and neighbors-Although I do think they should add another word to their vocabulary besides EAT! Of course, the choice to eat or not to eat is mine and I rarely tune it down. My cats and dogs are good company- I couldn’t handle the growling match that Prince and Marm had continually so I let Phyllis, a friend of mine who has only one cat, have Prince. Prince grieved so much after Bob passed away, I was considering having him put to sleep, but he was coming out of it so after a round at the Vets to have teeth and ears cleaned, Phyllis took him home and says he seems happy- He was happy at all the Vets - My house is looking good. The guys haven’t started on the living or dining rooms and won’t until after Christmas- I told Randy today that I hoped that it got finished before the money ran out- He told me this house would get finished whether or not I had enough money, and then invited me to their house for Christmas. They’ve done some leveling but it needs more. I think it can be leveled some then needs to rest. At any rate Randy said the builders would return- Pete and Joann call and come over frequently- which I appreciate as well as the call and letters I get from the other family members- The church lifts my spirits also. Bob got his dream work shop and was so proud of it but he didn’t get to use it so I will do all my wood working out there and some painting. The guys will build a dog house for the compressor outside with all the controls and hose inside so I can turn it on and off inside the shop as well as adjust the air pressure. I went to a western arts and crafts fair at the civic center I could have spent money until the world looked level. Luckily I was on a budget. But I did buy Bob IV a stick horse and for me book ends, on one the old miner was really leaning into a rope and on the other a balking mule carrying a pack. It was one of those things labeled gotta have. I have yet to regret the money spent. Love to all, Monta. Garland’s Family I was at Pam and Louis's house to celebrate my oldest grandson’s (Rowdy Swanson) birthday and attend my newest grandson’s (Roper Swanson) dedication to the Lord at the Ray of Hope Church in Comanche...and to visit with my brother and his wife. Venessa and JL has built a simple but modest home in Duncan...they are both working, JL with Halliburton and Nessa is keeping books with a company in the industrial park NE of town. She is also selling the Pampered Chef line and I love the merchandise. She can tell you how to get some of it free. She is in the directory. Pam had some very good news; thank goodness it didn't take her life in the discovery! A miss diagnosis had her taking some very expensive medicine and a very wonderful (although not so esteemed as such at treatment-) specialist changed Pam and Louis's life in less than three days. After bleeding profusely at the nose and the inability to hold anything on her stomach for the bleeding...Louis took Pam to the emergency room who then sent her to the specialist by ambulance. The misdiagnosis-LUPIS... he took away that expensive medication and by the way her heart is fantastic (diagnosed by the heart specialist at the emergency room)...the medication was acting like strychnine to her system and slowly, but almost claimed her at the emergency room. I had a lovely visit at J. L. and Venessa's house. How lovely to see all the Swanson's there. If you get a chance visit with them... As usual my trip was far too short-but how thrilled to see that not only had Pam and Louis continued with their craft club but was members of a second craft club who asked Louis to be Co-Chairman of it also. He and Pam serve as chairpersons of both now. He accepted. He said it has been a relief to get Pam back but she is working the crafts hard. When he gets through with his regular job (he is a welder) of 10 hours daily, he goes home and gets ready for the Craft fairs that the clubs sponsor... Keeping up with Pam was a job when she was ill, but it is double time now...and Louis says he is thankful. Stop and see them at Duncan. You will get a history lesson deluxe through the glassware and antiques they collect. Louis will show you the lovely crafts (second to none in that area) that he and Pam so eloquently work together on. Jennifer had me in for a delightful Thanksgiving Dinner that she prepared. Her first one. Her table was bragging rights for her Mom (I cried) and the dinner was simply delicious. Jamie her best friend brought the sound track "Oh Brother" to center stage when the table was cleared. The Blue Grass style was a lovely end to a precious memory... Jenny may be moving to the FT. Worth area soon. We went shopping for Pansies for her planter boxes on her front porch. When I left she gave me the cobalt blue one. Precious Mem'ries how they linger... I spent Thanksgiving Day with Dianne and Lowell, and their children, Katie and Ben. Aunt Elmeda and Jessie Ann came down but Jessie went back the Monday before Thanksgiving. Dianne prepared everyone’s favorite...which brings me to think we need a cookbook featuring our families favorites and make it legal for requests... like Linda Sue's BBQ chicken I remembered eating as a little girl ...ya know... couldn't you get excited about that? What a HOOT! Nancy Beth's hot rolls... Uncle Dales advice to closing a bread wrapper...Aunt Elmeda's tapioca pudding recipe... and strawberry preserves... and lots and lots of others that come to mind way too fast to list... I also visited a little while with Laura Janeen...and folks if you think I have truly been blessed in a short time... you are right! I also finished with the Texas ExCet and now am fully certified in Texas. I am just LOVING it... I trust you have all been well... I love you all ... Carol Rae Ed’s Family Linda sends her regrets. I understand that their get together went well in Cheyenne. She says that all of her family is doing fine Dale’s Family No news yet. I understand that Gaila was passing through town a couple of weeks ago. Richard’s Family From Richard's clan: Mom and Sharon drove to Missouri in late October to see Jason and Jeremy. Then they drove on to Greenville to see Cecil and me. Sharon checked out apartments and did some preliminary job hunting, as she's been planning to move here for several years and decided it was time to do just that. Then on November 5, Mom, Sharon, and I left Sharon's car here and flew back to Oklahoma. We loaded up a Ryder truck and Sharon and I drove here. She's living in our guest room right now. After interviews for several different jobs, she was offered two on the same day!! She chose the RN job in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (fancy term for "recovery room" if you ask me!). It pays $23 per hour!! Way to go, Sharon!! She'll stay with us for a while and save money for future apartment expenses. I'm enjoying not having to cook so much. Since Sharon has had more free time while not working at a job, she's been doing much of our cooking. And she is a great, self-taught cook (egg rolls, potato soup, chili, chicken cacciatore, etc.--all HOMEMADE)!! Jason took some performance tests to try to get hired at a Harley-Davidson plant, but didn't do well enough on the second one to go on to the next round. It's hard to believe that he's about to turn 20 on January 6. He's an avid hunter and recently shot a 200-pound doe. Jeremy is 17, also a hunter, and is eager to finish high school. Sharon's dog, Charlie, now lives in Missouri. Jason's girlfriend's Mom rushed out to buy Charlie an angel Halloween costume made for dogs and he went trick-or-treating with some kids. We just got some snapshots--funny! Thanks to our wonderful President I'll get a cost of living raise on January 1. Also, December 24 is a day off for federal workers (without having to take leave). I will take leave between Christmas and New Year's even though we're not going anywhere this year. I want to do lots of reading. Cecil is now back working for the US Postal Service. This is what he did for 12 years before we moved to SC. He hasn't yet been reinstated to full-time, permanent status, but we are optimistic. Right now he is sorting parcels at a distribution center from 8 PM to ???AM (it varies). I try to get to work as early as I can so I can get home earlier and spend a few hours with him before he leaves for work. Thank God for a job like I have with such flexible hours. Billy's enjoying his job at the grocery store near his apartment. He's also within walking distance of the largest mall in town. He enjoys listening to music, reading, and working jigsaw puzzles. Mom has been adjusting to not having Sharon living a block or so away. They saw each other almost every day. Mom's also adjusting to the idea of eventually needing to move out here. She spent Thanksgiving with her brother and his family in Weatherford OK. He (my uncle Jim) is retiring the end of this year after many years as BSU director at Southwestern Oklahoma State Univ. They gave him a new computer and a cruise to Alaska in July! Mom said that she might go to her sister Lila's in Claremore OK for Christmas, depending on the weather. Jeanie Elmeda's Family Another year has passed quickly. My health has been good and I still enjoy my grandkids. They are no longer little and cute. They are growing up and are interesting. I am trying to be a little less addicted to seed and sprout catalogs. I have a hard time finding a place to put a new plant! I haven’t kept out the weeds, tree, and grass sprouts as well as I should. My house plants enjoy sitting outside in the shade during the summer, but prefer being near a sunny window during the cooler weather, they multiply. My sunny windows are in short supply. When a limb breaks off or a runner gets too long and breaks off then winds up in a glass of water developing new roots - thus new plants. Joe’s mother-in-law and I eat at a senior center quite often. Those days we don’t have to cook or wash dishes. We may not always get our favorite foods, but we do get a wider variety than we would fix for ourselves at home. Activities: for some reason older people are expected to stay active. When I get to stay home, I like to read, sew or just sit. Last spring - I have forgotten the date, Joe, Rachel and I went to Childress to the Mahan reunion. The Mahan’s are my mother’s cousins. There are two ladies in that generation left. A note from Peggy Norman a few days ago stated their reunion will be April 27, 2002. I believe their vote last spring was to hold it at the fair park - the same place the Watts cousin’s reunion is held. Our hearts went out to Monta Fay when her husband, Bob Holderman died October 31. A special THANKS to Nancy and Randall for being where they are in just the right spot where one of my kids can drop me off and another can pick me up, and rescuing Jessie when she had tire trouble. Love Elmeda Idalou news: We are still alive and kicking in Idalou. It is a hectic time of year, I believe that I am turning more into a scrounge every year. Keeping up with the extra activities that every one has, I am planning to sleep during my days off over the holidays. We would love to see as many as can make it to Katie's Wedding July 5th. Lubbock is not that remote, and that time of year, the weather is great. Temperatures should be in the LOW 3 digit numbers. If you can come, come on down July 4th and we can really party. Katie is little over half through with Cosmetology School. Should be through in April. She is hoping to work part time in a salon before she graduates to give her some real training. Ben is busy with band and basketball. He didn't make the basketball team but has to go and keep score for the coach. Maybe next year... Dianne's Nail tech business continues to slowly pick up. She has really been busy before the holidays. I keep doing what ever they tell me to at work. I found out that that helps my long term career goals. We see Carol buzz through here once in awhile, she seems to be doing okay. Continue to pray for our country and our leaders. Lowell Oklahoma City news: I am staying busy with my new job - I have worked there a year now and am ready to have a week of vacation. At my last job (for 12 years) they used the draftsmen as engineers and had very few engineers overseeing the projects. At this job, there are about twenty engineers (nine of them have PhDs and the others have master’s degrees) and they keep the eight of us draftsmen very busy and on our toes. It is quite a switch - moving from close to the top of the food chain down to the very bottom. This job is just down the street about 6 miles, and I come home for lunch almost every day. I have never been able to do that with my previous jobs. Carol is still at Southwest Medical Center (the name changed a while back, it was South Community Hospital) I think that she has been there for 19 years now. John started college in Tulsa, but has now transferred to the Oklahoma State University branch here in Oklahoma City. I guess Carol’s cooking has a lot to do with it. Rachel is playing the clarinet in the school band this year. She also is on the basketball team. Joe, Carol, John & Rachel Elder Virginia’s Family News from Idaho T.J. continues to do fairly well- still being maintained on a minimal amount of medication. I am doing well and staying busy keeping the house hold running smoothly. Cool late spring short hot summer long beautiful fall challenged Idaho gardeners. Winter began Thanksgiving Day have had lots of snow and wind creating blizzard conditions at times. Barbara and Dennis are okay Dennis mother passed away on November. 26th. She had been very ill since early August these last months were pretty hard for them and they have a big job ahead settling medical bills, dismantling the house hold, and selling the property. Roger is doing well. He hasn’t flown much lately but has worked a lot in his Union office handling grievance cases and seeking benefits for laid off workers. He and his friend from Florida, Pattie Reid, will be hear during the Christmas holidays and will snow mobile again in Yellowstone Park. Shannon, Kenneth, little T.J., and Jordyn are fine. Shannon a very devoted Granddaughter went to see her grandma Norwood before and after work, noon hours and weekends during the last months of her granny’s life. Kenneth drives a truck for a milk hauling company and picks up milk from a couple of dairies down the road from us and honks his horn when he goes by. Little T.J. just had his fourth birthday, loves pre-school and is a very good big brother to Jordyn. He is a sweet a loving child. Jordyn is seven months old, weights 16 pounds and is growing up fast. She is just a beautiful little baby girl. These two little kids sure bring a lot of sun shine into our lives. Happy Holidays to every one and wishes for a good 2002. Virginia Patterson Birthdays and Anniversaries: January 1 Lloyd Elder 5 Chandler Clark 6 Jason Sumpter 14 Judy Watts 25 Gaila Smith 29 Camron Clark 31 Cheri Lyn February 6 Roger Patterson 8 Heather Patterson 16 Laura Mink 19 Amy 19 Whitney Smith March 2 Justyn Smith 2 Lowell Elder 5 Christi Elder 5 Vicki Elder 8 Paul Watts 11 Roy Watts 12 Louis Watts 13 Candace Watts 18 Barbara & Dennis Norwood 22 Mary Dora Zuber 23 Shannon Norwood 27 Melissa Watts Please send all omissions and corrections to the editors.

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