Jan. 2
   Friday. Arrived in Charlotte N.C. 10 pm from California.  Spent the night in a motel and got up Sat. and drove over to Fort Tatham.  Betty & Billy were there so we all stayed together in their cabin.  It had snowed and we still had snow on the ground.  We made a snow man.
 
Jan 5
   Left for Gainesville about 9 AM and arrived at 6:15 pm.  Very warm & humid here.
 
Jan. 9
   Started looking at new houses.  Connie & Cork told us about the new patio home behind them at Blues Creek.  Sunday we looked at the model home and immediately we like them.
 
Jan. 12
   Decided to buy here.  Butch Ganger (Sue & Jim’s real estate man) sold the house and asked us to let him sell ours.  So we put up our house (we have lived here for 42 years!) for sale.  Had lots & lots of people interested.  Finally sold it Feb. 10, 1998 for $77,500.  Ours is being built so we don’t move til April 30, 1998.  
 
Jan. 16
   My 66th birthday.  Betty & Billy & Morris & me went out to eat at the Red Lobster & then played cards.
 
Feb. 6
   Betty & Billy tell us that they put their house for sale (the live the next street over from us on 26th Terrace) and are buying a house in Blue’s Creek -  seven houses down the street from us!  We couldn’t be more happy!
 
Feb. 1-7
   Very cold and rainy.
 
Feb. 7
   Larry & Julie visit us for 7 days - (7-13)
 
Feb. 13
   We have a SS party at John & Evelyn Adicks. Left at 8:15 AM (Larry & Julie to go back to Reston, Va.)
 
Feb. 16
   Azales & Redbud & Dogwood all blooming.  Very pretty time of the year in Gainesville.
 
 Feb. 20
   Ft. Tatham’s winter reunion at Wildwood, Fl.  
 
Feb. 20-21
   Sue & Jim start moving up to Gainesville from Melbourne, Fl. Also Brenda & Tom move into their hew house in Lawrence, Kansas.
 
Feb. 23
   Helped Sue to unpack all day.
 
Feb. 24
   The ladies “tea party” at our church.  Dixie is in charge of the program and it was one of the best and funniest programs we ever had.
 
Feb. 26
   Carole came up to visit.  - Record Rains & Floods in Fla & Calif. All month.  We had no frost this winter and everything is still green.
 
March 3
   It’s Betty & Billy’s 48th wedding anniversary so we drive over to St. Augustine Beach and eat dinner at a restaurant on the beach.
 
March 13
   Sue & Jim had us over for dinner (the first of many in their new home at Turkey Creek.)                 Sunny & cool all week.    Still no freeze.  
 
March 21
   1945 class reunion at Reddick High School.  Betty & Billy Morris & I go to it.
 
March 25
   We had our SS party at Magnesia Springs.  Everyone loved going there.  Gary is very generous to let us use the place free of charge.
 
March 26
   I still feed mom once or twice a week.  Haired Patty to come in every day.
 
March 28
   We had a family party at Magnesia Springs.  Really a great place for the family to get together.
   Beautiful - about 80° & sunny all week.
 
March 30
   Dixie’s Birthday
 
April 3 & 4
   We have a huge garage sale. Rally cleaned out the house & got rid of a lot of stuff.
 
April 7
   Left for Ft. Tatham, N.C. Stayed in N.C. til  April 16.  My turn to feed mom on the 18&19th. She is getting weaker and weaker.  She doesn’t talk much anymore.  She won’t get out of bed, eats very little and is almost skin & bone.  It so sad I could cry when I’m there.
 
April 20
    Sue & Judy Satterlhwait come & help me pack.
 
April 21
   Carole comes up to help with mom. Finished packing   
 
April 23
   We have the walk though at our new home. (Address: 7522 NW 47th Way)  Everything seems to be OK.  Can’t wait to move.   We have a SS party tonight at Cedar River Restaurant in Starke)
 
April 25
   Our new refrigerator, washer & dryer are delivered & installed today.
 
April 26
   Mark, David, Morris & Mark’s young man friend move our furniture today.  
Lots & Lots of Memories
April 27
   Cleaned up the old house.  In some ways, very sad to leave here. 
 
April 28
   Met the lawyers today to sign papers for the new house.
 
April 29
   Spent the first night.  Betty helped to unpack & put stuff up.
 
May 5
   Had our SS party at St. Augustine Beach.
 
May 6
   Clyde put in plastic windows on our porch today. (vinyl)
 
May 18
   Had lunch with Sue at the Olive Gardens.  Then we went shopping for mom.
 
May 20
   I meet with the nurses once a month to plan for mom’s care & discuss her situation.
 
Rest of month still getting the new house in shape.  We put carpet on the floor of the porch and put up shelves in the garage (& Lots of other small things.)  Bought 2 new big recliners.  
 
June 4
   Went to the Reddick reunion in Ocala.  I hardly know anyone but Morris & Betty & Billy like me to go
   so I go!
 
June 4
   Coral graduation from middle School.   Senior adults have a corn boil.
 
June 4
   Left G’ville for N.C.
 
June 8
   Cork, Connie, Sara & Joshua go to Italy with a school group.
 
June 15
   Arrived home in G’ville from N.C. for family reunion this weekend.
 
June 18
   Have appointment at Family Services in Chiefland to see about grandma going to live on the Good Samaritan Assisted Living Home in Williston, Fl.  (it was approved to supplement her SS check so she could live there).
 
June 24
   Brenda & Tom (and Andrew) here - Larry flies in to Jax airport.  We go & pick him up.  Kristopher & Jeremy Fly in to Jax Too for the family reunion.
 
June 26 & 27
   Family Reunion at Magnesia Springs
 
July 5
   Brenda, Tom & Andrew leave to return to Kansas.
 
July 9
   Leave for N.C.
 
July 14
   Sue & Jim go to N.C.
 
July 16
   Covered dish supper tonight.
 
July 17
   David arrives here for a visit - 17th -20th
 
July 20
   We take David over to Murphy to see Sue & Jim.  David leaves July 21st.
 
July 31
   We meet Martha & Paul Rinhart (from our SS class) at the Garret House for lunch.  B&B go home   1898 (con’t)
 
Oct 21
   We pack up & close up the cabin and go home for the winter.
 
Oct. 24
   Reddick High School reunion at Silver Springs, Fl.  Very nice.
 
Oct. 25
   Brought grandma Mixson up for her birthday dinner with Beth, Mark & kids.  She’s 97 years old & going strong.
 
 Oct. 31
   Watched the Fl-Ga game on TV with Betty & Billy.
 
November -  Went up to feed mom  Nov. 2, 7, 15 went up other times just to visit her.  Sue, Dixie, Carole, Cork, Joshua & Gary all took turns too.
 
Nov. 19
   Left Port Carnival for 3 day cruise, watched the Fl-FSU game on their big TV.  Lots of fun
   Betty & Billy went with us.
 
Nov. 17
   SS class had a fish fry at Magnesia Springs.
 
Nov. 26
    Family at Magnesia Springs for Thanksgiving
 
Nov. 28
   Bought (leased) a new Avalon Toyota.
 
Dec. 1
   Our 48th wedding anniversary went to Steak & ale with B & B.  
 
 Dec. 9
   Coral spent the night with us.
 
Dec. 10
    Senior Adult luncheon & program at the church.
 
Dec. 12 & 13th
   Fed mom
 
Dec. 17
   SS part at Libby & Ernie’s
 
Dec. 20
   Took grandma Mixson to the church in McIntosh where she used to go to.  She really enjoyed seeing her old friends.
 
Dec. 18
   Andrew here - we go to Orlando to pick him up. I went to the Physics Dept. Christmas Party.
 
Dec. 22
   Sue has an open house party at her house for about 100 people.  I go over & help her fix the food.
 
Dec. 25
   Had Christmas here at our house.
 
Dec. 29
   Andrew leaves Dixie goes to Dothan 23-30th.
 
   Another year has ended.  It’s been a good year for us but a terrible year for poor mom.  We pray that the Lord takes her home soon where she will be out of her misery.
 
Jan 2   Flew back to Charlotte from Los Angles then we spent the night & the next morning drove over to Ft. Tatham.   

This is the end of this volume of Mom’s Diaries.