Dakota, Tanja, Marty, Vanessa~ The Bilyeu Family~
DOGWOOD ACRES, 05/25/09, ELANE CRUM
Hello friends. Memorial Day and rain seem to go together. When we went to church Sunday there were a lot of families camping along Swan Creek and Beaver Creek; looked like little tent cities. They looked so relaxed, kids fishing, and cozy campfires. I almost would like to camp, but just never developed a great love for sleeping on rocks.
We never camped a lot as a family. Rick and Neal would have liked to, but I was not a good camper. We camped a time or two, but did not have very good camp equipment and rocks gouged my body all night. When Neal got a little older, he and his friends would take sleeping bags and walk through the fields behind our house. It was not far to a little stream where they could catch a fish or two and have a campfire. All of one summer, he slept outside on our covered deck with just a quilt or sleeping bag between him and the hard boards. He managed to camp a lot, in spite of me!
One night Tommy and Ricky Smith were at our house and the boys set up camp in the grove of cedar trees in front of our house. When it got good and dark, I wrapped myself in a white sheet, slipped out through the trees, and gave them a little fright! They were so funny, but, of course, Neal said he knew who it was.
Rick and Neal were back up there a couple of weeks ago finishing up cabinets in Jim and Terry Warren’s new house. When Rick started home, he stopped at the little creek and caught a few perch in memory of Grandpa Crum. He let them go, but Lloyd used to bring them home for Betty Jo to fry into crispy little bites.
Rick and I took a few days off last week, left home early Tuesday morning and drove all day before checking into a Branson hotel. Making the most of our day, we went over to Eagle Rock to visit Roy and Charlotte Bilyeu and James, Louise and Leta Meier. They have their summer homes set up there in a campground near Table Rock Lake and looked totally relaxed.
After our visit with them, we drove on down to Eureka Springs, visited Thorncrown Chapel and drove around just enjoying the beauty. It was late when we got back to Branson where we pretended to be tourists for a couple of days; that is, except for the two or three hours I spent at the office while Rick relaxed at the motel. We went to the bluegrass festival at Silver Dollar City where we saw Rhonda Vincent and the Easter Brothers. Thursday night we were back home and on Friday, I worked a twelve-hour day with out of state buyers.
As our May birthday celebrations continue, Marty Bilyeu was surprised with a party for his 40th birthday. He is the oldest grandchild in our family and seeing a little gray in his beard makes me and Uncle Rick feel old.
Makaylee Tilley turned fifteen on Saturday. Ashton Crum will be fifteen next Saturday and has been studying the book for her driver’s test. She said it is boring reading, but I imagine she will keep at it so she can take that test.
Today is Memorial Day. I do not know if I have missed a deadline at the paper, but guess we will find out. Bye for now.
Cell: 417-239-4059
Website: www.elanecrum.net
Website: www.elanecrum.com
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