Thanksgiving memories and more....

This year I'm not doing anything for Thanksgiving. Didn't fix a turkey dinner or anything, and sent hubby to his parent’s house.  I wanted, no needed, to be alone, to mourn the loss of my mother without restraint.

This morning, my sister and I went to my mom's house to gather the last of her things. Seeing her house empty, knowing after 42 years of her living there the place would soon be sold, that it would no longer be her home, and that I would no longer drive over there to drop in and say hi, hit me hard.

Saying goodbye is excruciatingly painful. I wept for a long time.

Later on, I got to thinking about the first Thanksgiving dinner I prepared twenty-seven years ago. I lived in a small town where absolutely nothing was open on Thanksgiving Day. I made the dressing, stuffed the turkey, and did everything one does to prepare the bird for baking. The last thing I needed to do was to place the foil on top before sliding it into the oven. Only problem was...I didn't have any. Panicked, I darted to the phone and quickly dialed. When the party on the other end picked up, I didn't say hello or anything, I just blurted, "Mom, I don't have aluminum foil! What do I do?"
"That you, Deb?"
"Yes, it's me, Mom. What do I do?"
"What do you need foil for?"
"I don't know. You always used it."
"Doesn't your roaster lid fit?"
"Yes."
"Then use it," Mom calmly replied.
"But you always put aluminum foil on top of the turkey."
"Yes, but that’s only because the turkey was so big the roaster lid didn't fit."
"Oh."
Boy did I feel stupid.
We laughed over that one for years.

If you have a similar Thanksgiving story to share, I’d love to hear it.

Here are some pictures of my mom for you to see:

This is my mom and dad.



Me and my mom many years ago.


Hope you enjoyed the pictures.

Thanks for stopping by.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Until next time…

See ya ~ ~ ~

Stories to Romance the Heart by author Debra Ullrick

New York Times bestseller, A Log Cabin Christmas, available now

The Unexpected Bride - Sequel is - The Unlikely Wife (Jan 2012) Groom Wanted (Aug 2012)

Christmas Belles of Georgia

Dixie Hearts, The Bride Wore Coveralls - Sequel is - Déjà vu Bride

www.DebraUllrick.com

To win an autographed copy of...THE UNLIKELY WIFE...please join me at....

Before I tell you where to join me at, let me start out by wishing you all a very happy, happy Thanksgiving Day!!!

And now, please join me at one of my favorite author's blog - Trish Perry http://trishperry.blogspot.com/ - for a chance to win an autographed copy of my newest release The Unlikely Wife (January 2012) which is the sequel to The Unexpected Bride.

You can read all about my latest release at Trish's blog. While you're there, check out Trish Perry's books. You won't be sorry. *smiling*

Until next time...

See ya ~ ~ ~

Stories to Romance the Heart by author Debra Ullrick

New York Times bestseller, A Log Cabin Christmas, available now

The Unexpected Bride - Sequel is - The Unlikely Wife (Jan 2012) Groom Wanted (Aug 2012)

Christmas Belles of Georgia

Dixie Hearts, The Bride Wore Coveralls - Sequel is - Déjà vu Bride

www.DebraUllrick.com

 

Living in a Log Cabin

By: Debra Ullrick

For several years I lived in an original homestead cabin on a ranch in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The ceiling was only six-foot four-inches high. Back then they built the ceilings low for heating purposes. Trust me, it worked. Talk about a warm…no…make that a sweltering house. Amazing how one small wood-burning stove kept us nice and toasty even in the below zero temperatures. That same practical ceiling also created a challenge for my 6’2” husband who wore a cowboy hat all the time. But he managed to cope. 

I, however, struggled at times. Especially when frogs hopped across the carpet, or when I stepped on a stink bug who’d slipped inside through the broken chinking, or when I battled the many mice who inhabited the place. At first it was hard dealing with all the challenges, but then I grew to love the place and oftentimes wondered about the people who had lived there. What they were like. Where they came from. How they survived the harsh winters, and wishing the walls could talk.

Living there had piqued my interest in the history of Grand County where I lived on ranches for over 28 years. I contacted the historical society and acquired many books about Grand County. The house described in my story, A Grand County Christmas, stemmed from an actual cabin in that area. To make it more interesting, I combined the details of that cabin with a couple of other homesteads there, along with their history and some of the interesting cultures of the people who settled in that area. The more I wrote, the more I knew that I wanted to incorporate my own family’s heritage into the story, which was Germans from Russia. I’m so glad I did. 

My 87 year old mom, who answered my many questions about our heritage, passed away two weeks ago. When, A Grand County Christmas, was completed, my prayer was that my mom would live long enough to read my story. God answered that prayer.

Is there any homestead or cabin you've visited that you wish the walls could talk?

Please leave a comment to be entered to win the Free Copy of "A Log Cabin Christmas." 

If you are participating in the blog hop, please visit Jane Kirkpatrick’s  Words of Encouragement, where she will be discussing Bible quilt blocks in her Courting Quilt story.

Contest details weblink: bit.ly/LCCbloghop

Read a Chapter: http://www.barbourbooks.com/product/Log-Cabin-Christmas,8446.aspx?Tab=Books&sj=754

Jane’s Words of Encouragement home page; http://janeswordsofencouragement.blogspot.com/

My mother's passing

Hi faithful followers. I'm sorry I've not been posting lately.

My 87 year old mother was in the hospital for two weeks and we didn't know if she would make it or not. She didn't. She went on to be with the Lord a week ago today. (October 30, 2011)

Things have been hectic and extremely emotional to say the least. And now we are going through her things while my sister from Kansas is out here. It's been really difficult doing that. We have a long ways to go still so my visits here will be brief.

However, I will be posting a special blog on Nov 16th, so please stop by and join me then.

Thank you and God bless you all.

Until next time....

See ya ~ ~ ~