There are two versions of 1996, below is a transcript of Mom's original handwritten journal. Later she typed up the year 1996 which she made additions and changes, see 1996.

We missed the S.S. New Year’s Party at Libby & Ernie’s.   The Gators played in the Fiesta Bowl and Nebraska beat us 62-24.  We watched it on TV with Betty & Billy.    I go to visit mom & feed her 3 -4 times a week and try to bring her to our house some of the times.  It’s so hard to get her in & out of the car & house with being so stiff and the wheelchair is so big; can hardly fit through the family room & though the inside doors.  And she’s never happy!  And doesn’t eat hardly anything.  
 
Jan 7-8-9
   A really big freeze & snow storm & blizzard in & around Washing D.C. & east coast.  Broke all records!  Government offices had to close down.   
 
Jan. 9
   22° in Gainesville  
 
Jan. 12
   Delivered Meals on Wheels.   
 
Jan. 15
   Dixie fixe a really nice birthday dinner for Morris & me at her house.   
 
Jan. 16
   Betty, Billy, Morris & me went out for my 64th Birthday.  I can’t believe I’m 64.  Life is going to fast to suit me.  
 
Jan. 19 (Feb, 7)
   Betty & Billy flew to Brazil to visit Janice, Victor, Carrie & Torie.
 
Jan. 22-31
   Our SS class had covered dish supper at O.D. & Rosalie’s Thomas house.  They live in Archer. Mom had a small stoke again.  She went to the hospital & is very bad off.  Don’t know if she’ll live or not.  She won’t eat, talk & just seems to be asleep, like a coma.  We are taking turns being up there with her all day & night.  She finally goes back to the nursing home as they can’t do anything else for her.  We finally get her to eat some & she seems to be getting better.
 
Feb. 5
   Dan Mixson moves back to Gainesville, Judy & Vanessa will come up after Vanessa finishes the school year.
 
Feb. 6
   Our senior citizen covered dish luncheon at the church.
 
Feb. 9
   Ft. Tatham’s reunion was held in Lake City.  Met Fri. night for supper at Quincy’s & Sat. at the club house.  Met a lot of  Nice people.
 
Rest of February
   Still going up to feed mom & see how she is 3 times a week.
 
Feb. 20
    Fran & Jim Terhune moved into a new house & had an open house tea party for all of the senior citizens from our church.
 
Feb. 24
   We had a big garage sale & got rid of a lot of stuff we didn’t need.  (our freezer, our kitchen stove, I got a new smooth top stove, our king size bed (we got a new one) and a lot of stuff from the motor home.  Made over $600!
 
Feb. 25
   Visited Zella Mae & Monroe over at their River place.
 
Feb. 28
   Took Coral & Katie shopping for some new spring cloths.
 
March 1
   Katie spent the night with us so she could go to her best friends, Maggie, birthday party on Sat.  
 
March 3
   Betty & Billy’s 36th wedding anniversary so a group of us went to the Pasta Market in Oaks Mall after church.
 
March 5
   Sue & Jim came up & we met them at Steak & Ale for supper.
 
March 7
   I got new glasses.
 
March 8
   Met OD & Rosalie at Sonnys Restaurant & then they came over to our house to talk about our trip to Alaska.  They just bought a motor home & plan to go to Alaska.
 
March 13
   Had Dixie, David, Sue, Jim, Dan & Daniel at our house for birthday supper.  Sue helped cook.
 
March 17
   Albert Byrd (in seminary in Ft. Worth, Tx) preached at church tonight.  He’s going to make a good preacher.  
 
March 18
   SS. Class potluck supper at our house.
 
March 19
   Bill & Mary Byrd had a “meet Amy” (Albert’s fiancé) at their house.  A lot of people were there.  
 
March 15 - Kristi’s B’day
March 20 - Andrew’s B’day
March 21 - Beth’s B’day
March 22 - Laurel’s B’day
March 23 - Kristi & Sally give Dixie a surprise birthday party at the University Inn.  Sue & Jim, Carol & Dick & about 50 other people came.  It was really nice and a complete surprise.
March 26 - David & Sally’s B’day
March 28 - Krystle & Jefferson’s B’day
March 30 - Dixie’s B’day
 
March 29
   Finally sold our Motor Home for $13,000.
 
April 1
   We left & arrived in Sylva, N.C. at 3:10 pm - Sunny & cold here.  Our tulips (red & white) are out & are beautiful.  Not many people here yet.  Sunny & cool.  
 
*MWF 10 am  I’ve been elected to lead the women in an exercise program!
 
April 2
   Sunny & warm. Betty & Billy arrived today. Got everything cleaned up & bought groceries.
 
April 3-6
   Sunny & warm
 
April 8-9
   Lots of snow on the mountains & on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  It got very cold.  Drove up to the parkway to take pictures of snow & to build a snow man.
 
April 10
   Very windy & still cold.
 
April 11
   All of the tulips are now out.  Sunny & warm - 70° this afternoon.  Seems so good after the cold!  Ate lunch at the Garrett House in Dillsboro.  Really good food & lots of it.
 
April 12
   Went to Ashville today & to the Farmers Market.  Stopped & saw Rosie at her work place.
 
April 13
   Cloudy & rainy, only 60° today.  Donnie & Rosie stopped by on their way to Franklin to see his sister & mother.  
 
April 14
   Sunny & warm.  Went to Uncle Billy’s Flea Market.
 
April 15
   raining, cloudy all day & cold.
 
April 17
   Sunny & real warm.
 
April 18
   Sue & Jim came by to visit.  They had been to Mars Hill looking for a place to buy & now they are on their wat to Murphy to look there.   Had a potluck supper tonight down at the Rec. Room.
 
April 19
   Cloudy, rainy & warm
 
April 20
   Sun came out at 10 am & warm.
 
April 21
   Got up & left for Gainesville.  Got back about 4 pm & went straight to Gary & Dianne’s house and got there in time for the wedding reception for Eric & Ronnie.  They were married outdoors down by the fish pond.  
 
April 26-27-29   
   Family reunion at Treasure Island Beach.  Forty of us plus 5 visitors.  Beautiful weather & really nice motel.  (Danah works here, (Bilmar Motel) and made all of the arrangements for a really fun weekend.
 
April 30
   Heavy rain in AM.
 
May 1
   Morris had a laser treatment on his eyes.
 
May 2
   Zack spent the night with us as his class is going to Disney Word tomorrow.
 
May 4
   Asked St. Jacques, Yawns & the Hedicks over for a cook out.
 
May 5
   Senior Citizens Luncheon at the church after the service.  Very nice.
 
May 9
   Our SS class all went out to eat at the Rebel House.  
 
May 12
   Mothers Day.  Went & got mom after church & had her & Dixie the rest of the day.
 
May 17
   Went to the Home Show at the O’Connell Center.  We’ve been before and I enjoy it.
 
May 17-18-19
   Carole came up to help with mom.
 
May 21
   Senior’s from church had our annual Corn Boil at Paynes Prairie State Park.  Lots of corn, fried chicken, sliced red ripe tomatoes & lots of homemade desserts.  Very good.
 
May 22
   Left Gainesville 1- min to 6 (am) and arrived at Ft. Tatham at 10 to 3 (pm).  It’s 82° & sunny here.
 
May 23
   Beautiful day & cool nights.  Went to Ashville today & bought a RCA Satellite Dish.  Carolyn & Larmar stopped by.  Big rain tonight.   
 
May 25
     Carolyn & Lamar ate lunch with us.  Went for a ride with them.  Played some shuffleboard. Sunny & nice today.
 
May 26
   Had to go back to Ashville to pick up the Satellite Dish.  (They were out of them last week & they had to order more)   Had a movie tonight at the Rec. Hall.  Big rain & lots of thunder tonight.
 
May 27
   This is Memorial Day weekend.  Sunny & warm.  Had an outdoor covered dish & Bar BQ at noon.  Shuffleboard contest in the afternoon and ice cream sundaes at night.  Rain late tonight.
 
May 28
   Got the Dish working.  How nice to get all of these channels!  We have Direct TV ($38.00/mo).  Beautiful & sunny (76°) today.  
 
May 29
   Sue & Jime came by & we went out to eat lunch at LuLu’s in Sylva.
 
May 30
   Party cloudy
   some sun
   high 70°
 
May 31
   48° at 8 am this morning.  Sunny & cool all day.  
 
June 1
   Sylva. N.C.   42° this morning. Went to Uncle Billy’s Flea Market which is always fun.
 
June 2
   Bob & Ellie got here about 3:30 pm  Beautiful day.
 
June 3 & 4
   Morris & Bob took the window out of the bathroom & put in a back door & extended the porch all across the back.  Beautiful weather. Bob & Ellie left we. June 5. I started the exercises class (by Richard Simmons) We will meet every M,W,F. for the rest of the season here.
 
June 6
   Katies Birthday.  She is 8 years old.  June 9
   Libby & Ernie arrived about 4 pm. June 9-12 Libby & Ernie, Morris & I took in the sights around here.  Had a late afternoon rain Monday & Tuesday & Wednesday.
 
June 13
   We left to go to Gainesville. June 17 Left G’ville at 6 am arrived back to Sylva about 4 pm.  We brought Zack, Coral & Katie back with us.  Ha a pretty good trip with them.  
 
June 18
   Had Bingo tonight, like we do every Tuesday night, Zach won one game.  Warm & nice today.
 
June 19
    Took the kids to “Gold City” to sift through dirt to look for “gems”.  Had a big rain tonight.
 
June 20
   Took the kids to Cherokee to shop & to Santa Land to ride the rides.  Ate lunch out and had our covered dish supper, which is every third Thursday of the month.
 
June 21
   Took the kids up on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  Stopped & hiked down to the waterfalls.
 
June 21-23
   Hot & no rain.
 
June 24
   Took the kids to Sliding Rock.  They had fun but cold water.  Big rain & thunder & lightning tonight.
 
June 25
   Had a covered dish supper & a Corn Boil tonight.  Cool night.  
 
June 26
   Beth & Mark got here about 10:45 tonight.  They brought their ten up.  Sunny & cool day today.
 
June 27
   Beth & Mark took the kids to “Ghost Town In The Sky” at Maggie Valley.  Nice to be alone today.  
 
June 28
   All of them went to Cherokee for the day.
 
June 29
   We all went over to the Trout Farm & fished for trout for our supper.  Very, Very good.   
 
June 30
   We all went to the Flea Market, and after lunch, Beth & Mark & the kids went \tubing down the River at Dillsboro to Uncle Bills Flea Market.  They were gone about 5 hours.
June 25 - July 1   NO RAIN
 
July 1
    They all went Rock digging for the whole day.  What a dirty mess they were when they got back.  Had a big fish fry & covered dish down at the Savages campsite.
 
July 2
   Zack’s Birthday.  14 years old. They got up & left for home at 8:55 AM.  
 
   I’m so tired.  That was a long time to have them all here.  But it was worth it.  They all had such a good time.  Katie loved playing in the pond & catching & taking care of her “polly wags” which were turning into frogs by the time they left.   Coral loved the swimming pool & playing with her girl friends that she met up here.  Zack like to play in the creek.
 
July 4th Holiday
    Just a beautiful day.  Sunny & cool.  Noon, we had an outdoor cook-out, hamburgers & hot dogs, a shuffleboard tournament in the afternoon, then watermelon.  The campground to participate all day.   
 
July 5th
   Sunny, cool all day.  Ice cream sundaes by Barb & Bob, our managers.  
 
July 6th
   movie night.
 
July 7th
   We went to the 1st Baptist Church in Sylva, then out to eat.  Made home made ice cream this afternoon.  Shared it with Betty & Billy & our neighbors, Margaret & B.N.  
 
July 8
   Went to pick Blue Berries with Margaret, B.N. and Harriet.  Got 2 gallons.  Made muffins, a pie, & syrup & froze some.  Cloudy & warm.
 
July 2-13
   No rain.  Finally a small rain on Sat. & a big heavy rain on the 14th.
 
July 11
   We road over to Highlands, Wendall & jean weren’t home, ate lunch out.
 
July 14
   Bob & Ellie stopped by & spent the night with us.
 
July 15-27
   Our friends, Joyce & Wendall skipper came up in their camper trailer and camped here.  Had a fish fry tonight.  Had lots of rain on the 15th until 3pm then the sun came out for the fish fry.  Just beautiful.  “Got is so good”  
 
July 17
   Joyce, Wyndall, Morris & I took a ride in our car up on the Blue Ridge Parkway and at an overlook we all got out & I accidently locked the keys & my purse in the car!  Took 3 hours to get help from Waynesville to unlock it!
 
July 18
   We took Joyce & Wendall up to Mt Pisgah for lunch.
   Aunt Hazel died today.
 
July 19
   Had the judging for the best looking yard & Morris & I won the “Golden Shovel” award. Barb gave a really nice luncheon for all the participants.  We had our picture made for the Sylva newspaper.
 
July 20
   Joyce, Wyndall, Morris & I went to Pidgeon Forge to go to the Dixie Stampee.  It was really good.    Rained the 20&21 at night. Also the 24&25th
 
July 22
   Took Joyce & Whndall out to eat lunch at the Sunset Restaurant in Franklin.  One of our favorite places to eat.  
 
July 26
   Left here at 8:10 AM to go home to Gainesville.  Arrived 6:00 pm.
 
July 28
   Got mom from the nursing home to spend the afternoon & evening with us.
 
July 30
   Nadine gave me a perm.  Had David for supper.  Grandma Mixson had shortness of breath so she went to the hospital, but came home to our house on the next day.  She was O.K. Went to visit Betty Wilson at Upreach Pavilion here in G’ville.
 
Aug. 1
   Day & Louise Turner was in town (they live in Jacksonville now) so they came by for a short visit.
 
Aug. 2
   Left Gainesville at 7 AM, arrived here about 4:15 p.m. Came back to get ready for Brenda & Tom who will be here on Sunday.
 
Aug. 4
   Sunday, we went to church and when we got back, Brenda, Tom & Andrew were here.  They brought their pop-up camper & set up camp just before it rained.  It rained again Mon. & Tues. afternoons.
 
Aug. 9
   Janice, Victor, Carrie and Torrie got here.  They have been home on furlough from Brazil.
 
Aug. 10
   Betty & I fixed a big picnic lunch & we all drove over to Sliding Rock where we ate our picnic lunch & the kids went down the rocks slide.  It was a fund day.
 
Aug. 11
   David & Zack arrived for a few days.
 
Aug. 13
   All our kids & Betty’s kids went rafting down the Namathala River.  Zack fell out of is raft but he was O.K.
 
Aug. 14
   Brenda & Tom & Andrew left to go home to Lawrence, Kansas.
 
Aug. 15
   David & Zach left to go home.
 
Aug. 16
   Morris & I went with B & B & Janice, Victor, Carrie & Torrie to Hiawassee for their fall festival.  Had a great time.  
 
Aug. 17
   Went to see Wyndall & Jean in Highlands.
 
Aug. 18
   Janice & Victor left for G’ville.
 
Aug. 21
   Went to Murphy to visit Sue & Jim
   Spent the night with them and got back here at 5 pm Aug. 22
 
Aug. 23
   Morris’ Birthday.  We had his part last week when Brenda, Tom & David were here.
 
Aug. 24
   B&B & us went to a movie in Franklin & then went to “Picking on the Square” in downtown Franklin.  It’s free & they have different groups every Sat. night.
 
Aug. 29
   Larry, Julie & Anne arrived.  They spent the night & the next day.  Julie & Anne went on to Knoxville, TN to visit her sister.  They got back here Sunday afternoon & we took them out to eat at “Fishermans Catch” in Franklin.  They left to go home Monday, Aug. 2.   
 
Sept. 1-2
   Labor Day Weekend.  Lots of activities with a big cookout on Monday and the shuffleboard tournament in the afternoon.  The grand winners: Morris & Hoyt Savage.   Still having Bible Study every Tues. morning.  We had some excellent teachers & preachers here.  Also every Tues. night we play Bingo.
 
Sept. 4
   Betty & Billy went home to G’ville.
 
Sept. 5
   Hurricane Fran hit.  We’ve only received a lot of rain  from Sept 2 to Sept. 9.  Then again all day rain on
 
Sept. 16. 
   Put heat on first time since Sept. 13.
 
Sept. 19
   Left at 6:30 AM to go home.  Arrived home 4:00 pm.
 
Sept. 22
   Velda Burke (Mark’s mother) died.  Glad we were here for the funeral.  Went up to see mom about every other day.  Not responding much.  
 
Sept. 30
   Left to go back to N.C.
   Rained on us all day. Arrived at 5:00 pm.  
 
Oct. 1
   Betty & Billy got back.
 
Oct. 2
   Judy & Carl Satterthwaite arrived.  They stayed with Betty & Billy.
 
Oct. 3
   Today all six of us went up on the Blue Ridge Parkway and to eat lunch at Mt. Pisgah.  About ½ to 2/3 of the leavers have turned up there.  Sunny, cool, no rain, just beautiful.
 
Oct. 4
   Carl & Judy left.  We couldn’t talk them in to staying longer.
 
Oct. 5
   Barb & Bob cooked all of us a turkey, dressing, etc. Thanksgiving dinner.  It was really nice & was enjoyed by all.  Very nice of them.
 
Oct. 6
   Very cold this morning.  Went to church in Franklin & then out to eat.
 
Oct. 7
   Leaves have turned and are really beautiful.
 
Oct. 9
   Drove to Cherokee on the Parkway.  Have had no rain since Oct. 1
   Rally beautiful weather.  
 
Oct. 10
   Low 52° & high 58° today.  Drove up on the Parkway to Brevand & Highlands.  Had afternoon rain.
 
Oct. 11
   Sue called from Murphy & said that Aunt Iva Mae (Jim’s mother) died.  We got our flu shots today.  Doug & Louise arrived.  They stayed with B&B.
 
Oct. 12
   Left here to go to G’ville for Aunt Iva Mae’s funeral.  Got home at midnight.  It was 34°° frost & very cold when we left.
 
Oct. 13
   2:00 pm Funeral.
 
Oct. 14
   Coral spent last night with us as her class when to St. Augustine.
 
Oct. 15
   Left to go back to N.C. Arrived here at 5:30 pm.  Cool & sunny.  No rain for over a week till Oct. 22
   then it rained during the night.
1996
Oct. 21-28
   Chris & Henry are visiting us.  They have rented Annie Mals cabin.  We did a lot of riding around. Looking at leaves, looking for apples & tomatoes to take home.  Had a good time with them.
 
Oct. 29
   Took everything in & winterized the cabin & left for this year.  Arrived in G’ville 7:30 pm.  We surely had a wonderful season here in our little cabin.  This is truly God’s country.  Our place isn’t worth much but we have everything we need.  And it’s small but not much work to keep up. Also most of the people up here are Christians and they took us in like we were family.  There’s a group that play cards (“called 31”) every night.  They are B&B, Morris and I, Lee & Julia, Tommie & Lorene, Buddy & Evangeline, Harriett, Miram, Jack Webb, James Gatch, Marjorie, B.N. and Margaret, and Buster.  Then there’s a group of six ladies that play “Dominos” every night & a group of four that play Bridge.  Most night someone brings “goodies” down & we make coffee. So you see how much fellowship we have every day and every night.  We’ll miss that when we go home and never speak to a neighbor & see our friends only at S.S. & church.
 
Oct. 25-27
    David went to Michigan to visit his daughter, Laurel.
 
Nov. 2
   B,B, John, Evelyn & Morris & me went to Jax to see the Fla. Ga. Football game.  We won.  We went in B&B motor home, as we sold ours last March.
 
Nov. 4-8
   We painted LR, Dining Room, hall & Family room
 
Nov. 10
   Brenda’s Birthday.  She is 45 today.  I don’t want my children to get any older as I just can’t believe & don’t want to get any older.
 
Nov. 11-12
   They put down the new carpet in LR, D.R. Family Room, Hall & 2 bedrooms.  Oh, everything looks so good & clean.  I really got rid of a lot of stuff since we had to move everything even to taking out of the closets.  (Because of the flood from the dish washer)
 
Nov. 19
   Seniors from our church at a Luncheon at the Alachua Connection restaurant in Alachua.
 
Nov. 25
   Sue & Jim were up.  We went out to eat & then played cards.
 
Nov. 27
   Cooked all day for our Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow.
 
Nov. 28
   Thanksgiving Day.  Dan & Judy had everyone over to their home for dinner.  There were 33 of us there.  It was really nice.  Corky & Danny went & got mom from the nursing home.  Also grandma Mixson was there.  Later in the day about 20 of us piled into cars & went out to see what Gary had done to Magnesia Springs which he bought earlier in the year.
 
Nov. 30
   Gators played FSU & lost.  The only game we lost all year.   
 
Dec. 1, 1996
   Our 46th  Wedding anniversary.
 
Dec. 5
   Julie’s Birthday
 
Dec. 7
   Played Alabama for the SEC Championship in Atlanta.  We won.   Also went out to see Fred Feaster & see his cane grinding outfit & to get some cane syrup.
 
Dec. 9
   I’m I charge of our SS Christmas Party.  Betty & I went to make arrangements at the Holiday Inn West.
 
Dec. 12
   Our SS Christmas Party and it was a big success.  Everyone loved it.
 
Dec. 14
   Danny Wuerffel, our quarterback, won the Heisman Trophy award!  He really deserved it.
 
Dec. 15
   Coral spent the night with us as her class went to the Kennedy Space Center on Monday had she had to be at school at 6 AM.
 
Dec. 16
   Ernie St. Jacques had back surgery.  
 
Dec. 17
   Physics Dept Christmas Party
 
Dec. 22
   Larry’s Birthday.  He’s 44 years old!
 
Dec. 24
   Cork & Connie had the family over for refreshments.  Gary & Dianne went & got mom from the nursing home.  She seemed to enjoy it better than at Thanksgiving.  Not as many people.  Mom went to Dan’s house for Christmas dinner.  Penny’s put up our L.R. drapes today.  Really beautiful.
 
Dec. 25
   We had Christmas dinner at our house.  David, Beth, Mark, Zack, Coral, Katie, Grandma Mixson, Morris & me.  It’s been in the low 70°’s all week.  Really nice.  No rain.
 
Dec. 28-29
   Went to nursing home to feed mom lunch & again supper.  Someone goes up every day at lunch & again for supper.   We (Gary did) hired a darling Christian girl from Gary’s church named Missy Bottom to go up during the week.  I really like her & so does mom.
 
Dec. 31
   New Year Eve’s Party at Libby & Ernie.
1996 ENDS
Good Year