I recently re-read a book by Phyllis Whitney entitled Sea Jade. The Sea Jade was a 19th century clipper ship. The book was more about the relationship between the characters than it was about the ship...but the ship was quite important to the theme of the book.

There is something about the way a clipper ship in full sail that is so stalwart looking. When I was growing up, we had a picture...painting, I guess...of a clipper ship hanging on the wall. It was round....the framed picture. I have no idea what ever happened to it.
Here are a couple of pictures of clippers that I like.

Celebrating birthdays

Today, we celebrated Treyton's first birthday. He was so cute and he seemed to enjoy himself, too....I know we all enjoyed him. Amanda made two cakes for him. The larger one was made in the shape of a football. Then she made him a little individual one that looked like a baseball. He made short order of his little cake. It's so hard to believe that he's been a part of our family/our lives for a year. Then I look at Anna...and how can she already be 7 years old!? Time flies....a cliché, but oh, so true. I mean, just look at Craig and Matt....grown men!!

This fine looking fellow is my maternal great-grandfather, William Gaston Vickers (born Sept. 16, 1838 died November 23, 1924.) He was quite a character: he was a school teacher; the first school superintendent of schools in Durham, N.C.; a state legislator; and a lay preacher. He was married twice. Between 2 wives he had 21 children.


This stern looking lady is my great-grandmother, Genora Ann Wood (born October 32, 1861 died August 17, 1933), second wife to William Gaston Vickers. She bore him 9 of the 21 children. By looking at her you can see where I get my naturally turned down mouth.

Here is my maternal grandfather, Clyde Durham Vickers (born August 15, 1885) as a young man and again as an older fellow. I think it is interesting that he cocked his hat the same way all of his life. He died on June 2, 1935 at the age of 50 years.

This is a picture of my maternal grandmother, Annie Wester Mitchell Vickers (born August 7, 1893) when she was a young woman. I'm not sure how old she was when she married my grandfather (probably 19 or 20), but she was 22 years old when their first child was born. He already had 3 children by a previous marriage.

Here she is at an older age. She and Clyde Durham Vickers had 4 children; Cecil Ray Vickers, Wester Murdell Vickers, Annie Earle Vickers, and Daphne Thelma Vickers. Annie died on July 27, 1938 at the young age of 45.

My day today

This morning I awakened with really stopped up sinuses and a headache. I took medicine...the sinuses opened up and felt better, but the headache remained. So, since I do computer work all day long, I decided to use one of my sick days.

Way after lunch, I began feeling a tad better. I decided to ride up to Martinsville to Let It Beadz to pick up some Swarovski crystals that I want to use in a necklace. It was around 90 today, so with my AC broken in my car, it was a bit of a warm drive. Not bad as long as I was moving. Unfortunately, there was road construction on Starling Ave. requiring that I sit in the hot sun for several extended moments. It was a relief to finally arrive at my destination. As always, Becky offered to help if I needed any...and otherwise just let me be to look and explore her inventory. I found the crystals that I wanted, plus some beads to replace a broken watchband for someone, and some other beads for a couple of bracelets that someone else ordered.

As I was checking out, Becky was telling me that business is so bad with the increased fuel costs, that her income at the store is down by about 3/4%. That is awful! She is about to lose her house...and is hoping that she won't lose the business. I don't know what in the world is going to happen if our economy continues in this vein. Distressing.