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From: Mickeyfix@aol.com Subject: Fwd: Family Letter 6/10/01 Date: Sunday, June 10, 2001 9:58 AM Dear Family, We've been home since May 1st. Homecoming was sweeter than ever. Ann, Scott , Hannah and Judy came to Wellsboro the weekend before we were due and raked all the leaves (no small task there), weeded the flower beds (a killer task) swept the blow flies out of the house so that we got to come home to neat everything! Daffodills were in bloom. What a head start that made. It made unpacking fun! Memorial Day Weekend, the John Mickey, Watson and Miller families had a surprise 70th BD party for their dad. Judy spearheaded the event, helped me hose down the porch, store the food, shop, etc.. All this activity around Max whose only comment was "Shopping again?" After unloading a Sam's club load and heading to the local Bi-Low to pick up some things I forgot. He knew the kids and grandkids would be here for memorial day but thought we already had enough to feed an army! The plan was for John and C.J. to ask Max for a ride up on the hill at 3:45 and be back down at 4:15. All the guests arrived by 4:10. Max finally came off the hill at 5:00!!!! (We forgot it is hard to get him off the hill)......well, he was truly surprised! He finally figured out why all those cars were in the yard and all those people were on the porch, holding HAPPY 70th BD!! signs. It was really belated since we were in Az on 4/3. . Hamburgers,hot dogs and a big bon fire assured it's success! John gave a wonderful toast, Terry (Max's bro) prayed a special prayer for Max before eating and Max received lots of kind words, pats and hugs. Max glowed for days! The nice part was when the company (non family-30 in all] left, the mickey kids et al were still here so we just kept on celebrating. The grandkids had a ball, beginning to end. (We all did). Just before the weekend, with the help of Terry's son Joe, max took down the old mule barn in the corner of our yard. WHAT A SHOW!, with chains and a straining tractor, tugging, pulling pushing and prying. I could only watch between my fingers (frightening!) looking over my shoulder and one hand over my mouth! The 8x8' part of the barn was the most stubborn and seemed as though nothing could topple it! Around mid-afternoon,I had to make a trip into town. As is my custom, I went out to ask Max if there was anything he needed from town. He stopped the tractor, looked at me and said" I CANT TALK NOW!! THE MULE BARN IS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD! (They had slid it over the bank. It landed on the road!) Sure enough, it was, and while sliding down the bank a small red sports car went by unaware of their jeopardy, the barn crashing down just missing them! Oh yes, somewhere in that time frame, Max tripped over a snow plough on the tractor while trying to duck quickly under a descending garage door, went flying, skinned his knee, barked his shin and did his back no favors! For seven or eight days, he was on his back, counting airplanes passing through the skylights in the ceiling of the greatroom. He's on the mend! I've divided my time between gardens and the studio. Judy helped me with the gardens today. She dug wild ferns and planted them along the perimeter of our front yard replacing the English ivy that was frozen out this past winter. (We have scads of ferns on the farm). A ready source. As of today, my studio is reorganized, swept clean and waiting for me to do something! (Brings to mind the words I want on my tombstone "AND SHE WAS JUST GETTING ORGANIZED!" So it goes on Heise Run. See you in Dayton!! Love, Alice |