Most of you know that my life was turned upside down in February and I have been working to get back on my feet again. The process is much slower than I had hoped but things are starting to feel less surreal and I feel like I have even begun to gain a little traction in moving forward.
I have looked for work daily in an effort to get some real income going but, until, then, I have actually been able to post a few things on my various YouTube channels and podcasts. As much as I’d love to do that work full time, it does not bring in any income at this time, so I’ll start work (at 62!) and carve out time for my beloved projects. I did post a video showing around the area where I now live. It is very peaceful here and my toddler granddaughter has been a joy to be around. My Home…for Now can be seen here.
My most neglected YouTube channel, Farm Animal Life, finally got a post. This channel will have to come to an end sometime in the future because I no longer am on the farm to put a camera in with my various animals. Luckily, I still have plenty of footage to process so the last video posted will not be any time soon. This channel is one of those where you can just sit and watch the animals interact without any interference from people. It’s actually quite relaxing to watch. The short video, Anybody Home? can be seen here.
As I prepare for the end of my marriage, at the same time as looking for a job, I have had to produce mountains of documents for my lawyer, some of that was difficult as I cannot return to the farm. Still, I believe that I have everything he needs for the next court date. That has been a chore and I have struggled with ignorance on so many things and I am glad to be caught up for now.
On Kinzie’s YouTube channel, Kinzie Lackey Sports, I have posted three of her softball games. The first game, Oaks at Home, Game One can be seen here.
On a competitive league that she got to play in a tournament with, Oklahoma Wildcards vs No Texas Ballers can be seen here.
Then, game two of the Oaks at Home game can be seen here.
I have struggled to find a place to do my cooking videos. My son’s kitchen is too dark to film in at this time and I don’t have access to my lights or the funds to buy new ones. I went up to the church to do one, but the noise was too much that day with the ice machine, the refrigerator and the convection oven, along with it being spring break and the youth were in and out doing work projects for people who needed stuff done. I had taken my grand baby, Ivy, with me that day. Since I really couldn’t produce a video, I took her out to the playground and we had fun on the slide and swings.
Kinzie, my older granddaughter that we have had custody of since she was eleven, has a old beater car I had bought for her when she was turning sixteen. It was beginning to have some serious problems. She has been working nearly full time as a server in a decent restaurant. With her income and my credit rating, she put a nice down payment on a 2023 Chevy Malibu. I’ve got to admit that she looks pretty good driving it. I’m proud of her for this accomplishment.
One of the things that has really distressed me with this divorce is my inability to go the farm to care for my animals. I have tried to keep my beloved animals off my mind as there is nothing I can do about it, but one evening, the sheriff department called me to inform me that my pigs were out and in the road. I am heartbroken to know I can do nothing about it. I am praying that they were corralled and safe, but I really don’t know.
I did get a couple of podcasts posted. On my This Grandma’s Life podcast, I posted Episode 77: The Price of Eggs… in the United States. I explain why the price of eggs are so high and what could have been done to prevent it. You can listen to it on your favorite pod catchers or watch it here.
I also posted on the Books Highlighted podcast Episode 24: The Tattooist of Auschwitz. I love re-reading the highlighted sections of the books I have read. The Tattooist of Auschwitz was interesting and sometimes heart rending as it gives us a glimpse of the concentration camps during World War II. It can be listened to on your favorite pod catcher or here
We recently had an election to elect for the election board. The local elections are held at our church and I get to set up for them and take them down the day after. I also go up to the church the day of election to make sure the workers have everything they need and are relatively comfortable for the day. The morning of the election, I drove up to the church to find water all over the parking lot. I soon found the source of the problem. Water was bubbling out of the ground near the playground. It had apparently been doing so for quite some time because the water was running all the way down to the highway. I contacted the pastor and had help shutting the water off (unfortunately for the election workers). By noon, the water line had been dug up and repaired and they had water again. Nice! The video Set It Up and Take It Down Again can be seen here.
Also, the morning of the election, we were all wakened by our phones going off with a tornado warning. Tony was already at work, so Kayla and I got shoes, blankets and pillows together and we all met in the hallway to prepare for the tornado we were in the path of. We were relieved to learn that the tornado stayed aloft most of the time and dissipated a mile or two from our location. Little Ivy was thrilled to have three adults sitting in the hallway floor with her until it was safe again.
Another thing I get to volunteer for on occasion is meeting at a school in Claremore and help fill bags with mostly snack food to put into the backpacks of some of the kids of the surrounding schools. Each week also includes something more nutritious like a jar of peanut butter. There are several of us that literally walk in circles around the tables filling grocery bags with the food items set out for us. They are then loaded into many laundry baskets and delivered to the schools to distribute to the children. We have fun chatting and even singing a little as we make the rounds. I enjoy the work.
Regardless of what is going on between Tom and me, his cousins have been especially good to me. Tom’s Aunt Frankie is in her nineties and needing more help these days. Her daughters have been working tirelessly, taking care of her in order to keep her out of a nursing home. There have been some health issues with the sisters and they ask me if I could help watch their Aunt one day a week. I was honored and happily accepted. I couldn’t promise how long I could do it as I was actively looking for a job, but I wanted to help for as long as I could. I spent a wonderful day talking to Aunt Frankie and visiting with one of the cousins as she trained me on how to take care of Frankie’s needs.
Little Ivy attends Mustard Seed preschool three days a week and she was part of a program that we got to attend. There were several classes that depicted different nursery rhymes and the children were instructed to dress up like something in that nursery rhyme. The building was full of many very cute children in some amazingly cute costumes. I loved watching the young ones attempt to recite their allotted rhyme as they wiggled, messed with their costumes and waved to their parents. Ivy’s class did Humpty Dumpty. She was adorable with her bow tie and egg shaped cardboard costume. Don’t you agree?
The same evening, Kinzie attended her senior prom. Of course, as her grandmother, I was brought to tears by her beauty and the realization that she is all grown up now. She even was crowned prom queen! I was so proud. Her are a couple pictures of her and her best friend. Two beautiful girls!
Well, it appears that I have finally landed a job. I have started training as a carrier for the post office. At this time, I will only be working on Sundays delivering Amazon packages, but I hope to quickly move on to regular carrier. Maybe. I admit to being hesitant about having to spend a couple of thousand dollars to get my car to where I can drive it from the right side. And I really love my church home and will be missing it while working those Sundays. But, if I want to get on my own again, I’ve got to earn money. I know things will work out in the long run. I just have to keep the faith.
Life is good and I am happy to be a part of it. I am also looking forward to what it has to offer in the future. I’ll keep you posted. See you next time!