June 2025

                 July 1, 2025

 Dear Family and Friends,

The month of June was continually up and down, weather-wise, with temperatures in a nice springtime 70 degrees one day and then a scorching summertime 100 degrees the next.  But since I don’t venture out much, I’m not really bothered by what the weather is like outside each day.  It is the newspaper and what Diane says when she walks the short distance bringing me food, that keep me informed about our almost daily weather changes.  Although my 74 degrees inside is delightfully comfortable, it’s also a little boring sometimes, but I don’t complain.  Would you?

Speaking of our newspaper, the last of May and first part of June were filled with pictures and information about all the graduations taking place, not only at Grants Pass High School but all the other high schools and colleges in both Josephine and Jackson counties as well.  Since the Medford Mail Tribune is now no longer in existence, the Daily Courier has taken over responsibility for covering the happenings in the entire area covered by both counties.  Besides its regular coverage of government and civic affairs, national sports events, etc. it is sending reporters to the outlying areas to gather their important information (especially sports) for all our fans to keep in touch with. It’s a rather big challenge for our local paper, but they are doing a marvelous job of it.  The Vorhees family has owned and operated the Daily Courier for almost two hundred years and is not about to lose it now.  

You will probably remember that True had figured on staying the full month of June at her secluded place in Washington to get her sequel to Anasazi Vision completely formulated and set in her mind before coming home to put it all into its working stages.  Well, she is scheduled to arrive about the 1st of July, and that is about the time our kinfolk are due to arrive from Utah for their 4th of July weekend visit with us.  Also, Diane, who has been supplying me with meals during True’s absence, has given notice that she will no longer be providing meals, but turning everything back into True’s hands.  Linda has been doing a good job substituting for True by maintaining this house and me, as well as her own home and pets, and a continuous work schedule of four to six hours daily, while still recuperating from her hip replacement operation on April 4th.  I marvel at how well she is able to manage it all, even though experiencing pain.  But she’s a go-getter and a wonder!  However, with True’s return, she should be able to cut back now.

It’s funny how Fathers Day seems to slip by without much notice or fanfare, although fathers are loved and sorely needed in every family. I did manage to get our flag posted for Flag Day and Fathers Day, sent off a card to my son Dan for being such a good father to his children, but was unable to reach him by telephone to actually wish him ‘happy tidings’ of the day.  By now he and Cathy are probably well on their way to Florida after serving their very pleasant and successful two year mission in Hawaii.  I think Dan will still be able to handle getting this letter onto the email list so everyone will receive it more or less on time.

There was one thing in mid June that I must tell you about.  All year long the folks here at the Riviera store items they either want to get rid of, or because of circumstances have to get rid of, like when someone dies or sells and leaves behind various things, so by the time June rolls around each year the Park has accumulated quite a supply of tools, furniture, and household items of all kinds. So it puts on a huge yard sale to see if they can make enough money to support the many activities they wish to sponsor during the upcoming year.  Well this year I wondered if there was something I might be able to do to help during their week of preparations, etc.  Since they would be offering drinks like coffee, ice tea, or lemonade to the people who came at 50 cents a cup, I thought maybe I could sell the lemonade if it were lowered to my wheelchair level.  Then something happened that changed that idea.

I heard and read in the newspaper about the government discontinuing to make the penny because it was too expensive to do so and the penny was practically worthless anyway.  Somehow, that caught my fancy and I said to myself, “It’s not worthless, and it’s still useful!” and immediately became struck with the idea of selling lemonade for a penny a cup, where only a penny would do.  I wanted to honor and glorify the lowly little penny that was headed for extinction soon.  Of course Wanda Middleton and others in charge of the yard sale had hopes of making lots of money during the two days it was operating, so they didn’t want to do it.  But I was sold on my effort to immortalize the penny idea and asked if I could set up shop outside the clubhouse if I furnished my own supplies.  They all thought I was foolish, but said okay go ahead. I hoped I hadn’t bitten off more than I could chew however.

As with any worthwhile project, I found that I needed the help of several others.  Luckily, the ones I asked did think it was a fun idea and were anxious to help.  When I asked if an actual old fashioned lemonade stand could be built, Steve Johnson agreed and within two days it was done. And his wife Linda (this place is loaded with Lindas and Steves) gave me the use of her large fancy dispenser with a spigot to easily fill each cup.  I relied on Linda to use her internet connection to discover who had the best deal on powered lemonade and enough 5 ounce cups to feed a hundred.  And when I decided to also include popcorn for a penny, she was able to get a full boxload of 8 extra large bags that would easily fill the hundred smaller bags that she was able to find  I also had a tray of small items to sell for a penny..  

I intended to stay and attend to the stand and both items by myself for the full time (9 am - 3 pm) during the two days the yard sale would be operating.  But realizing I would be needing help for the popcorn and for breaks, I called upon other friends to sit with me for a couple of hours each day, which they were glad to do.  Now all that was needed were signs to attract attention and explain about the penny.  I was able to make a couple of smaller ones, but a nice big poster to let people know about the mighty penny and its power to buy various things at this yard sale was supplied by a lady artist named Sunny, who made cute characters that really caught the eye.  And it was fun to see the surprised look of disbelief as people saw lemonade for only a penny and a bag of popcorn for just one cent. Wow!  

Sitting behind the sturdy lemonade stand, I was happy that my desire to honor the penny had become a reality, even though the elements of the day didn’t seem to be in our favor.  The Wed. and Thurs. of that week had been in the scorching upper 90’s, but on Friday it turned out to be in the chilling lower 60’s, which may have deterred some people from venturing out early for a yard sale.  That, plus the fact that the power company was blocking traffic on Leonard Rd. that morning, causing cars to wait for a pilot car to guide the stacked up cars onto the open lane when it became clear  I’m sure that must have also kept a few other people from waiting or even trying to enter our property.  Of course Saturday was the same, so the prospect of having crowds of buyers as in previous years was kinda shot down the drain this year.  But though we were all disappointed, we were appreciative of the many souls who did brave the circumstances and bought up lots of the available items.  So as I was told later, the Park was able to net over $1,000.00, which wasn’t too bad. Right?  At the end of June we were treated to an ice cream social! 

I, of course, suffered from a lack of buyers too, and was left with a container of powdered lemonade, about 75 cups, 80 small bags and 6 large popcorn bags, and a full gallon of warm lemonade!  But who cares?  I had fun doing it, and that’s all that matters, even though I did actually get enough pennies in my Penny Pot to receive a full $1.00 in return when I took my ‘loot’ to the bank.  Whoopee!  What was I to do with all those extra items now?  I did keep one big bag of popcorn to munch on occasionally and the container of powered lemonade, but the other things I just handed over to Jeff Jarvis, who always has so many of his family at his house all the time, knowing he could make good use of them.  Steve offered to store the stand, the emblem of his speedy handiwork, in case it might be needed again.

With that, you now have the full account of my adventures for June.  I always wonder what the next month will be like.  I’m sure July will prove to be an interesting one as well.  So until then, I bid you farewell and pray that the Lord will bless you and keep you safe and happy and enjoying this wonderful life.  And I send you my love and best wishes too.

Love,  

Marie