Non-Traditional Photographers Blog

Sunday, August 3, 2014

My 9-11 Birthday With Mom & Patty

As we all know 9-11 is a really hard time for any of us but for me I turned 50 that year. Work was almost impossible that day. I decided this year would be different for me. I really can't remember when I spent my birthday with my Mom let alone my younger sister. What a treat for me! Dinner at Gebhardts was a great treat! Thanks Mom & Patty! Oh so good!

In stead of me going home after our Eureka trip I road back with Gary and Gareth. Gary took me through Joplin on our way to Pittsburg. My what a change. The Joplin tornado hit May 23, 2011. On record as one of the worst in history. It was on the ground for 16 miles and 3/4 mile wide in some of the high populated ares of Joplin. I think it is up to 162 lives lost. St Johns Hospital was severely damaged. My brother had open heart surgery a few weeks before the tornado. Hard to believe how many lives changed that day.

While I was in Pittsburg I spent a great deal of time at the Pittsburg Library Genealogy Department. Digging with a very small spoon. I met a wonderful lady, Miss Barbara Jobe. After visiting for a while we found that we had know each other for years but didn't know we were looking for some of the same family. The next time I was in she brought me a photo of a GG Aunt and Uncle. The frame was made by Myra Nelle Sheffield. She use to hang out with my Grandma Pittser every chance they got. What a fun lady Myra Nelle was.

I decided a few weeks ago to start my blog again but with another turn. My roots have always interested me. I guess because Grandma Hudson told such great stories of when she was a child. Come to find out Arcadia Kansas holds a lot of history for my maternal side of our family. There is such rich history in South East Kansas. I will be posting pictures and history stories from the area as well as photos of paternal side of the family.

So keep watch you never know what or who you might learn that you are related to.

OH MY 2011- 2014!!!

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Summer 2011

Every year Bill and I look forward to our Eureka Springs trip with our buggy. Well 2011 was one to remember for sure. HOT! HOT! HOT! Is all I can say. Oh, and to top that off on air in the truck! My plans changed a little this year. I road back with Gary and Gareth to spend some much needed time with Mom and little Sis Patty. Of course the beginning plan was to drive to Pittsburg spend the night with Mom and Patty and head to Lamar with with Gary and Gareth meet Bill have lunch at the "Blue Top" and head South to Eureka. The day before I was to leave Bill has extra work done on my car, which was long over due! A day behind and more than a few $ short I followed Bill to Pittsburg, drop my car off then we head to Gary's. I get out of the truck and we have a flat on the buggy, and the fun begins! A few hours later we are on the road.

When you hit that Arkansas line it is beautiful! The "Tall Pines" is not far down the road. The only problem I had was I got way to hot. Cabin! AIR! HOLY COW I WAS HOT! They guys unloaded the buggies and were off for their first run. By the time they got back I had cooled down and was ready for dinner. Our first night was fun. Over looking the main street of Eureka with a bowl of pasta. Great food and conversation with our best bud's.

Friday we visited the shops and had a few beers. When we got back to the cabins the Harper's had arrived. Time to catch up, check out the buggies. By mid afternoon the rest of the crew showed up. Six in all this year. A surprise visit by little Lilian and Mommy. What a BEAUTY SHE IS! Dinner was at the "Anglers Inn". Best CATFISH in Eureka! Shrimp is great too!

Saturday was the VW Parade down main street of Eureka. It was as great as always. Just hot! Lots of folks turn out to see the parade. Not sure what the count was this year. Last year there was over 300 VW's in all shapes and sizes.

The best thing about Eureka is catching up with really great friends, having a FEW BEERS, taking a few pictures and just CHILLaxing as Lauren would say!

My how time flies!

Yes that is Bill, Miles and Grandpa Troxel. In Del Rio Texas. A lifetime ago!

It was just yesterday we were holding our little LaLa girl in our arms! Lets look at a little past and present photos. "My Little Beauty" is growing up so fast!

I decided to do an old post because I believe it should be fresh in our minds. The love we have for our parents never ends! When you get older you will look back, REALLY HOW DID THEY DO IT!!!!!

NO CELL PHONES OR INTERNET!!!!! THOSE WERE THE DAYS! When you spoke to a friend face to face or on the telephone.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

In Memory of Billy Eugene Hudson

Good Morning!

I have thought for weeks about writing about my Dad. A few weeks back I ran across an old movie "The Hank Williams Story" It sure took me back a long ways. Our dad was a huge Hank Williams lover. Ever sense I can remember dad had a country band. When he was about 16 he won a talent contest in Girard Kansas. He was awarded a trophy signed by Gene Autry. I am not sure if it was sponsered by KOAM Radio or not. KOAM was the big radio station in Southeast Kansas at the time. K stood for Kansas, O for Oklahoma, A for Arkansas and M for Missouri. KOAM's home base was in Pittsburg Kansas where my grandparents lived. Dad was so proud of that trophy.

When he was about 2 or 3 he had a bad accident and just about lost his foot. The story was that he got out of the house and ran to the field where Grandpa was. The horses were pulling a sickle that cuts weeds and hay. Grandpa didn't see Daddy and ran over him. The horses stopped dead still when Dad screamed. The sickle cut almost through the bone of his ankle. He was very lucky he didn't loose his foot. Over the years he had several surgeries on his ankle. He had a bad limp but that didn't keep him for doing anything. He even played basket ball in high school.

He grew up around Girard Kansas and Pittsburg. His father was a farmer. Grandpa farmed all over Crawford county for other people. He always had a lot of men working for him. That was back in the day when you were paid for a days work. I remember that some of the men that worked for Grandpa were poor with big families to feed. Some of them had been in trouble with the law. They respected Grandpa and worked hard for him. Grandma would make lunches for all the men that worked for him.

Dad was a hard worker. He was a bus driver when he met Mom. He was one of many cross town bus drivers in Pittsburg. Back then that was the mode of transportation. Pittsburg was a booming in the early years.
My mother in-law can remember when Dad drove the bus. She was about ten years older than my folks. She said that there was this pretty dark haired dark skin young lady that would set behind Bill on the bus and she was very sweet on him.

When I was born we lived down the street from my husbands grandparents in Pittsburg. I was about 2 when we moved to Missouri. Dad followed in his dad's foot steps. He farmed and worked for a milk plant. You might of heard of the company, it was Pet Milk Company. Yes our DADDY was the Milk Man! He would go from farm to farm pick up the milk and take it to the plant in Carthage MO. The farmers would leave watermelons in the milk coolers for him. They were ice cold and so good.

One of my favorite memories was when Dad would play at the Memorial Hall in Lamar for different events. He had quite a following for his band. We would have fun in the building before the dance. It was so huge to us back then. We played back stage and down in the basement. I haven't been back there in years.

Dad did a lot of horse trading in those days. That was when you could do something for your neighbor for free and he would do the same for you. Not to much of that happens today. I think he traded landscaping for stocking the pond once. That sure paid off. We all fished in that pond at one time or another. Caught so nice fish too!

Grandpa had a gravel / landscaping business in the latter years of his life. When he passed Daddy took over the business. I think it was something he really enjoyed. In the winter he would clear off all the drive ways in the neighbor hood and wouldn't charge anything.

You know when you look over the years we were so lucky to have such great parents. Mom is such a strong person. Mom and Dad were married for 18 years, divorced for 14 years and had remarried about 15 years when Dad passed away. Being a single mom was a hard job. There was 4 of us kids. Mom worked nights at a cheese plant. She had help from her mom back then. I still don't see how she did it. There isn't much she can't do to this day. From working on her car to carpenter work. What a women!

I think to this day that my Dad watches over us kids. From backing a trailer in a tight spot, (Miles) to playing the guitar (Doug) or watching over us on that long flight from Australia (Penny), even singing in that band in the out back ( John),
to the numbers that you deal with and people you meet every day( Patty), and giving us the strength to go back to college to make a better life for our children (Melissa)!

Daddy is watching us all!!

We love and miss you Daddy!