Yesterday, Kurt and I went to the Justin Boot Store here in Joplin. Lauren had given Kurt a $30 gift certificate from there for Christmas. He couldn't find anything for $30 to spend there and they wouldn't give cash back. So of course, what else could he do but buy another pair of boots! This is a pair of Tony Lama's. He has decided these are his favorites--they really do look nice. I called Lauren after we got home and told her I couldn't afford for her to give Kurt anymore gift certificates there!
This morning we drove to Tulsa to attend the visitation for Neil Gourd--one of our friends that Kurt has played with in the band at Claremore. Neil passed away this past week. He was such a sweet man and we're sure going to miss him! While at the funeral home, we got to visit our good friend, Melvin Bevenue and his wife Billie. Melvin is 1/2 Creek Indian and I believe 1/2 Osage. He is an Honorary Chief of the Creek Nation. He is a big man! He is also one of the best drummers in the business and has played with some of the big guys such as Porter Waggoner, etc. He is wearing one of the latest bolos that Kurt made for him.
This is Kurt and Melvin inside the funeral home.
We also we dropped Kurt's fiddle off at The Violin Shop in Tulsa. They are going to put a viola pickup on his 5-string fiddle. We were surprised to learn the shop was just one block south of the old Cain's Ballroom. Kurt has told me the story of how he and his brothers and Dad got to meet Bob Wills there when they were quite young. Bob came down on the stage after the show and met with them and even played a few tunes with them. Then Kurt and his brothers played for Bob on his stage. It was quite a memorable moment for these young musicians.
This is a HUGE coliseum that is under construction just north of downtown. This pictures just doesn't really show how big it is.
Kurt wore his new boots today and took this picture while we were going down the road!
Until later!
Allison turned 13 this past Saturday on January 26th. She had a party with "her friends" but then we had our traditional dinner and family get-together at our house. She chose to go to Red Lobster for the meal. We came back to our house where she posed with her cake and then opened her presents from the family. Chris and Pam gave her a digital camera. We gave her a box of Whitmans chocolates and a gift certificate to a store she likes called "Aeropostle" or something like that. For the life of me I can't remember what Lauren gave her, but I'm sure it was nice. Allison said her birthday was great! It's hard to think that in three short years she'll be driving! 
Allison is certainly the young lady with many expressions!
There's not a lot going on with us right now--seems like we're just sitting waiting for winter to be over with. Kurt and I both enjoy working outside, and we've not been able to do a lot of that because it's been so cold. It was actually in the 60's today but the wind was blowing like crazy. We just stayed inside--me working on my scrapbooking and Kurt working on his bolos.
I'm still working on older pictures and here's some I've done in the past couple of days. This was such a cute picture of Lauren. I usually made her frilly church dresses, but this one was purchased--don't remember where.
Lauren was and still is so photogenic! If she sees a camera, she still breaks out into a smile! I made this little brown polka-dot swiss dress. She was always so proud of her new dresses and loved wearing them!
The following page was done when I was scrapbooking the traditional way--with scissors, paper and tape. I had already scanned these pages, but I just added the name and age block. She was such a pretty baby!
This next picture of Kurt was taken in 1959 (before he was sent to Japan) and the one of me was taken in 1960 after he had left for Japan. We were engaged for two years while he was stationed there. He returned the end of April 1962 and we were married on May 13, 1962. We're still pretty much on our honeymoon and quickly approaching our 46th wedding anniversary.
This picture of Lauren has always been one of our favorites. I call this her "Wonder Bread Wrapper" picture.
Until Later,
This morning we drove to Tulsa to attend the visitation for Neil Gourd--one of our friends that Kurt has played with in the band at Claremore. Neil passed away this past week. He was such a sweet man and we're sure going to miss him! While at the funeral home, we got to visit our good friend, Melvin Bevenue and his wife Billie. Melvin is 1/2 Creek Indian and I believe 1/2 Osage. He is an Honorary Chief of the Creek Nation. He is a big man! He is also one of the best drummers in the business and has played with some of the big guys such as Porter Waggoner, etc. He is wearing one of the latest bolos that Kurt made for him.
This is Kurt and Melvin inside the funeral home.
We also we dropped Kurt's fiddle off at The Violin Shop in Tulsa. They are going to put a viola pickup on his 5-string fiddle. We were surprised to learn the shop was just one block south of the old Cain's Ballroom. Kurt has told me the story of how he and his brothers and Dad got to meet Bob Wills there when they were quite young. Bob came down on the stage after the show and met with them and even played a few tunes with them. Then Kurt and his brothers played for Bob on his stage. It was quite a memorable moment for these young musicians.
