Keeping in touch with Jim

  I left Texas just after my sister died and drove back to my grandkids' house in Vancouver, WA to shelter in place while we waited to see how the Covid-19 virus would affect our lives. No one in the family has been infected and we are all taking precautions to protect ourselves and others. My sister's kids decided to hold Bobbie's memorial service on June 13th at her home church in Seymour, TX. I packed my van and headed back to participate in the event. It was a very nice service and a tribute to Bobbie and how many lives she touched.  After the service, I began my 2020 road trip. Part of my trip was to continue my genealogy research on the Walls family and part just for fun. I drove up through Oklahoma, Missouri, and into Kentucky. My hope of finding the graves of my 2nd great grandparents came to nothing but I enjoyed some camping and met some very nice people while there. After a few days, I headed back to Texas for some dental work and more camping. My plan from there...

The future is nothing more than a new beginning that starts right now. I have been here before and I am sure I will be again. The problem is trying to keep promises that were made before life events changed and then realizing that those promises are causing pain to both the promiser and the promisee. Therefore, a new beginning becomes the only logical path to the future. Here is a link to my website: www.jimwalls.info Update Feb 2020 : More than a year has passed since I published this entry. I remain, like a plane getting low on fuel and awaiting clearance from the tower, in a holding pattern.  Update April 2020 : And now, the Covid-19 virus ... sigh. My dear sister passed today, Easter Sunday, April 12, 2020, three years after her husband passed. We laid her to rest on April 15th and I packed up my belongings and headed back to Oregon/Washington to be with my grandkids. A memorial service will be held when people feel safe to gather.

For about a year now I have been staying with my sister, Bobbie, in northern Texas as she slowly fades away. She is just 87 years old but she has been in poor health for many years. Her husband, who was 90, died in April 2017 and she began her decline at that time. By July of 2017, I realized that she could not be at home on her own and would require round the clock assistance so I promised that I would be there for her as long as I was needed. Taking care of an invalid person requires more than one person so her youngest daughter Meg moved back home with her 8-year-old son and between us we have shared the duties of home care. The house where she and her husband lived her entire adult life is in Red Springs, Texas. Everywhere I look I see evidence of a life well-lived, a house where she raised four children of her own and raised three more who she adopted over the years. In every room, there are collectibles, photos, trophies, nick-nacks, and "what-nots".  These things are c...

Learning about my grandmother Florence Mae Walls (Ferguson) This is the only photo I have of her. She was born in Joshua, Johnson Co., Texas 1 March 1885 Her parents were Neal Scott B. Ferguson and Charity Adjullia Hines She was one of 11 children She married Alonzo "Lon" Walls 18 November 1901 in Cleburne, Johnson Co., Texas They had  6 children She died 15 August 1975

I met Bernie here in Zihuatanejo in Feb 2011 and quickly learned why he is a legend around here. This year he is back and still tearing up the dance floor with all the ladies. After his fall back in the summer of 2011 his recovery has been awesome. This year he walking a little slower and and not quite so far but get him near a band and lovely ladies and he takes center stage. Go Bernie go, we love you. Update #2 - April 6, 2016 I had a nice visit with Bernie at his home in Lebanon, OR and he was in good spirits. He enjoyed the photos I brought him and he shared some that I had never seen. He is still having trouble with his balance (mostly because he won't slow down) but he works at things he can do like mowing the yard on his riding mower. The visit was all too short but still enjoyable. Update #3 - Feb 13, 2019 Bernie gets hitched !!!! Married this day on the beach in Zihuatanejo, Mexico. Bernie and his lovely bride Sherry Galla.

At the time of writing this I am in my 69 th year. In those years I have been introduced to many thought processes and concepts that have effected or infected my life and I want to give some thought to these concepts. My grandparents were life long members of the Salvation Army and we were taught the strict language of the church such as “Don't sin” and “Honor your mother and father”. My mother fell away from the church in her teen years yet she wanted me to be the “Good Christian” that she was not able to be. So my life was “given” or “dedicated” to the church through a baptism service performed by my grandfather. This was before I was able to walk, talk or reason. My mother didn't take us to church but one day when my father came for a visit he said he wanted me to go to church and I asked him which one. He told me that it was my decision. He told me to ask my friends if I could go with them to visit their church or on a Sunday just to walk around ...

Guns: Right now there are so many conflicting ideas on all sides of the issue. Today I have a haunting feeling that soon, very soon, there will be a mass shooting where the police are shooting criminals and citizens are shooting criminals and police because they can't tell who is who. And then the police will start shooting the citizens who will retaliate in kind and on and on it will go. I only hope that my loved ones and I can stay out of harm's way. I read the following today and it seems like these people have no knowledge of the Austin Tower Sniper : "Gun rights activists in Texas are planning to stage a mock mass shooting at the University of Texas this weekend in protest of both gun-free zones and President Barack Obama's continued calls for tougher gun control legislation. According to the website  Statesman , gun rights supporters will begin the day by marching through Austin with loaded weapons and conclude their walk with a "theatrical performan...