1988 Journal

Yesterday I pulled my journals off the shelf to just have a look through a couple, to see what kinds of things I wrote down.  The first one I looked at was the 1972-73, the first of my venture into journals.  It is a little surprising to read the one line notations.

On October 15th, 1972 our son Ryan was born.  He was born on my Grandpa Brenner's Birthday, I'd forgotten that.....   Throughout this journal I recorded things like the first smile, dinner at my Mom's house, who came to visit, and all of Ryan's firsts that year.  I cannot believe he was getting cereal at a month old or that he had orange juice two weeks later!!!   My daughter would be shocked at that today!  She didn't start her babies on solids until at least five months. 

The second journal I picked up had an interesting list of things on the back page that happened in 1988.  It was titled:  "Things I'd Like to Remember and Some I'd Wish To Forget."   I will share these memories with you, as I did with Ryan and Richard this morning. 

The passing of Kathrine Gregg, (my mother-in-law) a mother, a grandmother, a friend.  (sudden and sad)

My brother, Brian, had two strokes before Christmas.  (effected his speech, right arm and leg)

My favorite cowboy, Dave, was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease.  (he recovered)

Our competitive ride season brought awards and two 300 mile blankets.

Trisha won an Arabian Colt from Dr. Fricke.  (that colt is Knipper, the pretty bay horse in many of my pictures)

We bought a '79 motor home.  (our "new" camping vehicle!)

'88 drought made very poor crops  (my husband farms a little on the side.)

A friend went through a divorce, moved to a new house, had a great barn and hay for his horses.
We inherited an old station wagon from my Grandmother, Gladys Rankin.  (the kids would hide when we drove it, they were totally embarrassed.)
Ryan turned sixteen and played Football.
Trisha is in 7th grade, playing volleyball and basketball
Emily, my baby, turned ten years old.  Loves soccer.
Richard went to Kansas City with the FFA.  (Richard was an Ag. Teacher for 36 years)
The 4-H club took a trip to Washington DC and stayed in the home of Mike and Fran DeWine. (he was our congressman then)
The kids had great fair hogs this year.

I thought this was very interesting, you may not.  It does show how cool it was that I kept some record of events in our busy life.  I made me smile to remember those things.  I wonder what else my old journals will reveal to me?

Photo:   2004 Journal cover.  While loading the photo for this blog, I flipped through the pages.  Tears stream from my eyes when I read about having to deal with an aging horse with a rectal tumor.  My heart hurts and miss this beautiful horse we called Feasty.  I have written about him in other blogs, he was certainly one of our most entertaining horse when it came to stories!