Cousin Skeeter tells all

Hi-

Cousin Skeeter here. I am one of Cousin Denise's long lost relatives. I don't think I was really lost-I just think nobody wanted to find me.

Denise's Dad was from New York City and her Mom was from Dierks Arkanas--what a coincidence so am I. As the years passed and most of the relatives died off, Denise set off her find her long lost kinfolk.She came to Arkansas and to her disappointment I was the only one left she could find. Well, to make a very long story just a little long she brought me back to Missouri to stay with her family for a while. I just kind of stayed on to look(mooch) after her. After all she needs alot of guidance in the stange land called the Ozarks.

I remember the first day we arrived at her house. She was so excited she literally ran through the house and out the back door to her porch. When she opened the door she was horrified and started screaming. I asked what was all the noise was about, and she told me to look outside.

I took a peek and there were 3 dead rabbits right there on the porch. I couldn't imagine what she was making the big deal out ---she saw 3 dead rabbits---I saw lunch and a new hat--

It's all the way you look at things. She has alot to learn.

Truck'n to school

This week was FFA(Future Farmers of America) Week at school. My daughter said it was quite a week. One day it was dress like a Farmer Day and everyone said the smell was unbelievable. Guys wearing their milking boots to school and the hallways smelled like cow patties made for an interesting odor I am sure.

Yesterday was Drive your Tractor to School Day. I took a couple of pics. It's just amazing. Today was Dirty Truck Day. Many kids here do something called mudding.You can see from the pics what that must entail. Very Interesting.

My friends(so to speak)

Here are a few pics of my friends that I have made.

The Beginning-Summer 2005

We arrived the beginning of August 2005 -just a few days before school started.

Charlie, Holly,her friend Kayla and I and of course our pets -2 rat terriers and our cat drove down the long, long, long gravel covered drive to the garage. My daughter and her friend stood in amazement -not realizing how far out in the country it was. We took a tour through the house-opened the back door and there was 3 dead bunnies on the back porch--it was at that moment that I realized I was very out of place.

I was raised in Dallas--a very conservative middle class Jewish girl--probably not cut out for the Ozarks.My mother was from Arkansas and father from New York City.So, with a little Arkansas blood in me I figured I was cut out for the country. The first time I had really been in the country was when my uncle Doc died in Arkanasas and I went to Arkansas(the non-Jewish part of the family) to the funeral---

He was laid up in the house and smelled like grape jelly--I was very young---and very freaked out--and at that point knew the city is where I belonged. I remembered the church service and them handing out the offering plate. Well, being raised Jewish I thought you were supposed to take what you needed from the plate -not put money in---that did not go well. My second visit was years later with my grandmother-back to Arkansas-and we stayed with one of the relatives and had a nice visit until it came to Sunday dinner. I had admired the chickens out in the back and made friends with a couple. That was a big mistake. Guess what we had for dinner? You guessed it fried chicken. I remember asking my aunt after dinner about a specific chicken that I had become a little attached to. Then I found out how really attached to that chicken I was---very attached I had had it for dinner.

And that is when I really knew--I am A City Girl.