Friday, June 18, I got our truck serviced, unstopped a clogged commode and cleaned the shower.

Oh, by the way, it was also our 55th wedding anniversary.

To celebrate, Thursday we ate dinner with some friends at Outback and tonight (Saturday) we dine with other friends at Eduardo's Mexican Restaurant. Life is good!

Red Bird Cactus

This plant is known as the Red Bird Cactus. We have two and they are now in bloom. There are dozens of blooms (look just to the left of the word "Bird" for the one in the enlargement). Each bloom is less than 1/2 inch long.

The Rox

How many books have you seen written about an elementary school? I have one in my possession, and I contributed to it, in a small way. The subject is the old Greenwood (Arkansas) Elementary School, a two-story, eight-classroom building built of stone masonry in 1891 and historically known as "The Rox".

If These Rocks Could Talk was published this year. Dozens of former students contributed their reminiscences of the building, their classmates and their teachers. One picture here shows the book jacket; another shows the building after it was abandoned in 1953 and before it was converted into a residence by the local banker in 1963; and the third shows it as it looks after a second renovation by the banker's son (now the local banker) in 2009. The beautifully-bound, 300-page book was written by banker Ed Wilkinson, who with his family now lives in the house which is filled with art, architectural antiques and antique furniture. And many, many memories.

From the Past

(55 years ago)

When we returned to Houston in 1966, the movers lost some of our keepsakes, among them copies of 1953-54 Arkansas Travelers. This was the University of Arkansas daily student newspaper, of which I was managing editor my senior year. I recently mentioned my loss to a staff member of the UA Alumni Association. She did some digging in the archives, and a few weeks ago, FedEx delivered a bound set (all 118 issues) of the 1953-54 Traveler. She had found a duplicate set in the archives. I am currently lost in the '50s as I scan these jewels, looking for my bylines and columns I wrote, as well as the words"Managing Editor Ferrell Moore" on the masthead (list of editors and writers). Was I ever that young?

About Katie Grace ...

Most readers know who Katie Grace is, but for those who don't, this beautiful 5-year-old lives in Xi'an, China, awaiting the arrival of our daughter Patti and son-in-law Dennis to adopt her. They visit via Skype almost daily, and KG (who speaks English because she has spent the last 9 months with her Australian foster mother) often asks how many more sleeps before I can be with my forever parents (paraphrased). This has been a long process (about 2 1/2 years), but we feel pretty sure the China trip will happen in a few more weeks.

Baby, Baby


Same grandma, look-alike babies. These photos were taken 23 years apart. First taken, Norma and granddaughter Ryland, photographed at Ferrell's retirement party in 1987. Also, Norma with Ryland's baby, Kelcie. Both babies were 6 months old when the pictures were taken.

A few minutes ago I posted a picture of Katie Grace. We now have word that it will be another 6 weeks until Patti and Dennis will be going to China to pick her up. Those bureaucrats are wearing us out!

Katie Grace photo on her 5th birthday, April 24, 2010.

Ferrell & Norma

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