Another ‘last home’

Cars of beauty and art:
                   1952 Henry J

Now:
Sister Shirley would say, “I’m not depressed, I don’t use that word, I’m just down.” Shirl refused to use some words.

My sister Kat, and her hubby had to give up their retirement home in Charlotte because the Airport expansion. We talked. Sherry and I happened to have a wooded acre and we all decided to split it and build a large ‘duplex.’ I told them I would build their side for what the city gave them for their cabin. WE wanted it deeded separately (as condos) but that was illegal unless you had a condo agreement drawn up and approved and filed with the city. Our Atty helped us avoid that since it was family. So They became condos deeded separately. To us it has always been a nice duplex, each side up and down 2800 sqft total with two garages each.

Kat’s hubby died and she remarried. She sold us her side for exactly what they paid. SHE REFUSED the market price. ‘You built it for practically nothing!’ She declared and would not make a profit off her brother. Sister Kat was her own woman. What you saw was what you got. Sherry and I traveled many thousands of miles they in their Motor Home we in ours. Once in North Dakota a doctor asked her if she was taking her meds. “Yes, but I do cut the yellow one in half and throw the black center away.”

The horrified doctor said, “Ms Lankford you can’t do that!”

“It’s my medicine!” was her only retort. I cracked up.

Once we were in the Dallas Zoo, down Texas way. Passing the Gorilla cage, Mr. Gorilla was getting frisky, as he started to do the deed, Dick said to Kat, “Let’s go honey!” She gently took his hand off her arm and said flatly, “I’m staying to see this, I have never seen anyone but us!”  That was Kat, no Pretenses. Kat and Dick were married at 15 & 16 years of age.

(This is the siblings minus older brother Odis who had passed away by this time. Me, Kat. Jr and Shirley.)

Now Shirley on the other hand  was the 'classy lady.' An odd apple in our family. “We are all actors on the stage of life,” was her view of life.  She was a wonderful sweet sister, would give you the shirt off her back. But she was too classy to live in a duplex. But once it was explained they were actually condos, then that was fine. She sold her home and moved in. (words)

There were times Shirl would chide me for ‘giving out personal info.’ So at times I had to remind her of her upbringing. Then we would laugh as I reminded her when she held her dress tail and jumped out of a barn loft into big  piles of straw and warm cow manure.”


Both sisters are gone, I miss them both but hold sweet memories. Shirley left us with one ‘condo’ empty. So now our ‘last home’ is back.

We all will find a time to cry, but Life is still good, even when we do not understand the WHY?

Nite Shipslog

PS: I have probably told this story before, but as I told ‘Meverly’,  dang it, I’m Old and allowed to repeat myself….. or repeat myself!  And then There are times I actually repeat myownself. :(