Great fun and two big events...

Two important events have taken place in our lives in just a few days. My Aunt Anna Lee celebrated her 90th birthday and we happily made the trip to Georgia to surprise her and she was indeed!  We were so happy to have a part in her wonderful birthday party and hundreds of friends (literally) came by to say best wishes.  Her daughter, Ann, did a wonderful job in planning and conducting this gathering, along with the help of her friends.  Our thanks for a wonderful afternoon of fellowship with old and dear friends and family.

Upon our return to Texas, our grandson, Steven Alan Brown graduated from Crenshaw Middle School on the Bolivar Peninsula. We have come to call his class "the come back kids" because all of them have struggled in one way or another to come back to school and to the Peninsula following Hurricane Ike.  It was a special evening in their honor.

Steven was presented the Presidential Award for English and Language Arts and we are so very proud of him and his accomplishments this year. He is off to high school next year — where did these years go?

A favorite writing of mine seems to fit both occasions because Aunt Anna has always been important in my life and I appreciate her unconditional love, guidance, spiritual character, and kindness given so freely to me. Ted and I hope to offer Steven the same qualities and remain important to his young life.

"A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove; however, the world will be different because I was important in the life of a child."

Until the next page turns,

Brenda

(First photo is Steven and Kevin, a classmate, awaiting their turn to receive the all-important diploma and second is Steven and friends at the graduation party following the actual ceremony. The third is Steven in bright red cap and gown, fourth is processional, fifth is PaPa Ted, Steven, and Brenda and sixth is Brenda, Cousin Ann, and Aunt Anna at 90th birthday celebration in the Atlanta, Georgia area).

Safe back in the Country of Texas...

Ted and I had a wonderful trip to Gulf Shores, Alabama, and remembered again why we like the area since the beaches and communities were quite beautiful.  The beach was clean and as white as sugar sand and the water a gorgeous blue/green. We enjoyed fresh seafood and ate in some of our favorite haunts while there including The Shrimp Basket and Lambert's Throwed Rolls. Did a little shopping and made our way on to the busy Atlanta area.

Our trip took us on to the beautiful home of my lifetime friend, Millie Jones Pincus, in Lawrenceville, where we have our own floor in her great house.  My other "best friend" since third grade of school, Ginger Bragg Doster, came over and joined us at Millie's where we had fun and enjoyed being together again after all these years. We always have so much to remember and talk about and it takes a while to get caught up on all current events in our lives. The weekend flew by way too fast to suit any of us.  

We three also spent time on planning the 50th Class Reunion for the Clarkston High School Class of 1960.  Where has this time gone? We were able to make contact with more than a baker's dozen of our classmates to get the big ball rolling.  My, how we miss our old friend, John (Tommy) Barnes when we start on a new gathering.

We are meeting on October 1, 2, and 3 of 2010 in the Atlanta area and are excited about seeing all of our old friends. Please help us get this word out to our friends and classmates.

The reason for our trip to Atlanta was to share in the wonderful surprise celebration of my precious Aunt Anna Lee's 90th birthday.  She was overwhelmed with hundreds of dear friends and family members who came by to say Happy Birthday to her and to share in her wonderfully kind life.  Aunt Anna's daughter, Ann Lee, had done a great job of inviting and planning the event. Aunt Anna will never forget it and neither will we! 

Aunt Anna still lived at home at my Mama Cole's house when I was born and she has also been "my other mother."  Ann, my cousin, has never been able to figure out why I was able to be in her mom and dad's wedding pictures when she wasn't.  Not sure that she has ever forgiven me for that...

We thank the Lord for traveling mercy and for seeing that we arrived back home in Texas safely.  So good to share time with old friends and family.

Until the next page turns,

Brenda 

Happy and Safe Memorial Day Weekend to All

The Internet sites, which are usually so active, are fairly quiet because most of our family and friends are heading out for a long Memorial Day weekend. Traffic has picked up considerably here on Bolivar Peninsula, and even though thundershowers are predicted, the enthusiasm for seeing friends, eating good food, playing in the water, boating, fishing, and just hanging in does not seem to be affected.  

As we enjoy our time together, let us be reminded of why we celebrate this particular holiday. For some families, my own included, it is one of the most special we have. My dad was killed in WWII on New Georgia Island when I was six months old. I never saw him.  

I did have two photographs of him until Ike and I was given all of his medals, including the Purple Heart, but those are now lost to Ike, so I literally have nothing except memories.  

I was born on my dad and mom's third wedding anniversary and my folks had "liked each other" and "courted" since third grade of school.  

My mom was ill equipped to face a world without him and all of our lives were greatly impacted by his wartime death. She never got over it until the day she died last August. Many families fight the old wars every day of their lives. Some of us think of a little white cross on some faraway island that we've never seen in person.  

That's all we have.

Thursday Morning, May 21, from the Marsh on Bolivar

Hello friends and family: This is a very exciting day at our house because tonight is the much planned and anticipated Crenshaw Bulldog Annual Talent Show and Steven and many of his new friends will be performing. We have also enlisted some "professional" folks to help round out the program from our area. Kat, one of Steven's guitar teachers from Galveston Island, will be joining him on "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" and Michael Stewart, another of his guitar teachers, along with local favorite Bucky Faggard, will be singing and playing. We also have Zak Perry of the Zak Perry Band out of Austin and Galveston and he will be doing two songs for the group.

Zak is something of a local success and has several recordings and a busy playing schedule to his credit. Kevin Bowling, associate minister and youth director, at Val Verde Baptist Church in Groves, will also be singing and Kevin is always a delight to every audience.

These kids have worked very hard on the program and are looking forward to performing tonight for family members and the community. I've dubbed them the true "come back kids," because so many of them have fought various battles and won since Hurricane Ike des

troyed their home and much of their life. Many still live with relatives or neighbors just to get to be in school and for that, I say, we should tip our hats. We have a wonderful program and look forward to the entire night. It's been a lot of fun helping to organize this event and we are so thrilled with the over $800 we raised to fund the eighth grade lock in and graduation ceremony, which is right around the corner.

My new little business has taken off like wildfire, too. I bought a Miche Bag type of franchise and have filled over $1,000 worth of orders in just a few days. The purses are now being advertised on TV and I had a lady stop me in the store yesterday. She grabbed my arm, and said, "Is that one of those purses I saw on TV, where you just pop the shell off and put another one on." I said, "Yes, it is, but I did not know they were being advertised on TV." She told me they were, took my shell off and put it back on, and ordered three bags and seven shells on the spot. I never said a word about her buying anything from me! Can't beat that!

The concept was invented by a woman named Michelle who spilled sugary coffee on her favorite fabric bag. She thought as she tried to wipe off the spill, "I wish I could just keep the bag intact and put on a new cover." She worked on her idea and together with a friend, designed the first Miche Bag. We have the basic bag in black or brown, different handles to suit your style and over 40 colorful and attractive magnetized shells. You can change your complete bag in less than three seconds and be on your way. If you are interested in knowing more or ordering a Miche Bag, just email me at brendacannonhenley@yahoo.com. You can also go to the Miche Bag Official Web Site and see color and design and tell me what you want. Glad to ship or deliver in the area. This is not a pryamid or enlistment scheme. Just fine looking, classy, fun bags for women on the go. You'll want several shells to enhance your outfits, I promise. My phone just rang with a big order - one mom, daughter in law, and two daughters!

Until the next page turns,

Brenda

Friday, May 8, 2009 from the beautiful marsh on the Bolivar Peninsula...

Mothers have vast amounts of space inside their hearts and minds where they keep and ponder all of the events of a lifetime.  Not only are their memories, joys, sadnesses, achievements, failures, successes, and goals harbored there, but much of the lives of their children and grandchildren also find a quiet and lasting berth. Some of us are blessed with "forever memories" that time and nature cannot take away.  

Ted often says I have the memory of an elephant, and I'm not always sure that is a complement. It can be both — a blessing and a curse.

(Photograph - Brenda Cannon Henley and Ginger Bragg Doster on the old wooden dock at Pine Lake in 1959 - Forever Friends)

One remembers the "what might have beens had times been different," "the things I would have changed," "the hurts and pains of disagreements and sadness and loss," but God in His infinite wisdom balances all of these hidden thoughts with "the absolute wonder of life," "the new discoveries," "the blessed friends of a lifetime," "our families and those close enough to be if born in the same line," and "the hopes for the future."

I recently had the occasion to hear a song sung by Kenny Chesney, "A lot of things different." This song was a favorite of a dear friend from my childhood who went Home much too soon, John Barnes.  He and his wife Kitty stayed in mine and Ted's home while he was undergoing serious cancer treatment at MD Anderson Hospital in Houston.  We drove them around Houston, to the beach, to fly kites in the salty air, and to share the last food that they enjoyed so much.  John and I never dated.  We were neighbors in Pine Lake and went to Clarkston High School together. But, we were the best of friends.  John always felt he had to take care of Ginger and myself and we spent many long hours hanging out and growing up.  In our later years, we became even closer working on our high school graduation reunion and traveling together.  John was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of friend and he was loyal and faithful to those he loved.  He could be a demonic bear to those he didn't, but that was part of his great charm.

He was a very successful businessman and politician and a hard worker for his family and community.  John had many honors come his way and he is lovingly remembered for the good he did.

John got to MD Anderson a little too late with way too much cancer and we lost him.  John is one of those secret treasures I hold in my heart. Not a day goes by that I don't think of something "Tommy" said to me or some advice he gave me.  (Note - We all called him "Tommy" in school and pretty much throughout his life, but the US Air Force and his strong wife Kitty changed it to John and we all tried to adjust, but failed). As Ted wheeled his chair into the Hobby Airport on that last visit, Tommy and I held hands and said little.  What was there to be said when we both knew it was almost over? I leaned down and hugged him really tightly and he whispered some parting advice in my ear. Tears glistened in his eyes and rolled unashamedly down my cheeks in the busy airport as I gave him my word on what he had asked.

Not many days later, Ginger Bragg Doster, Millie Jones Pincus, and I drove to his beloved Florida home and met Sandy Martin Teal, Dianna Buder Suratt, and others, and buried Tommy in the sandy soil he had come to love.  He had left strict instructions that "we girls" were to be treated as immediate family and sit in places of honor at all the services. I thought again of the song by Chesney, "I would have done a lot of things different." In the verses, the writer thinks back over his life and wishes had had made different choices.  He would have gone to see Elvis the last time he came to town (Teresa and I did that at the Omni in Atlanta against all church rules and regulations), he would have spent more time with family and loved ones, he would have hugged his brother before he left for war, and it ends with, "If I had known that dance would have been our last one, I would have made the band play on and on and on...I would have done lots of things differently."

One cannot get caught up in the "I would haves" of life, but I'm convinced that it is OK to remember people, places, events, good times and sad times, and then move on back into the present. All of these memories can be a healthy part of what mothers put inside their hearts and minds and ponder with such clarity that at times if you listen closely, you can hear the music, smell the flowers, touch the gifts and see the smiles of old friends and family members. 

I am so enjoying FaceBook after my daughter DeAnna made me join. I am in contact with so many of the dear friends of life that I have had for years and I get suck a kick out of turning on the computer, reading what they wrote, seeing their accomplishments and their activities, meeting their families, sharing in their joys (and their sorrows at times) and  entertaining this feeling of reconnecting. If you are not on FaceBook, join today. I can't find much wrong about it.

Betty Pennell, my sister in law, Teresa Fowler Stancil, Joy Rice Martin, Betty Owens Moseley, Debbie Eads, old friends in the media, distant family members, John and Lydia Carpenter, college kids we helped back in the day, Jack Rounds, Dixie King, church family from years ago, Sandy Bagley, Amy Bagley, and my list goes on and on.  Each of you hold a treasured place in my memory bank and you've had an impact on my life.  For this, I thank you.  Be safe and stay well.

Until the next page turns,

Brenda

Sunday afternoon from the marsh...

Nearing 5,000 visitors to the blog site gave me the inspiration to post a baker's dozen of new photos to help bring everyone up to date on our doings. I am amazed at just how many old friends tell me that they are reading the blog and will I please try to keep it more up to date?

I will, I promise!

Things are just almost always in high gear around here with educating a busy and happy 14-year-old and getting settled into the leased cabin where we'll be for a year while Ted builds our home back, getting ready for fishing season (yea) and doing the ordinary of cooking, cleaning, transporting, paying bills, and the like.  And, oh, yes, we do try to have a little fun from time to time, too.  Just now, Steven and Ted are visiting Rusty and Becky Cluck and their family before they head back to Zavalia and Austin.  Steven has so many new friends here and he keeps us on our toes getting him back and forth.  I don't know which will be worse - driving him all over and picking him up - or knowing he soon will be old enough to drive himself.

Lots of exciting plans in the works right about now and there's talk of a brand new newspaper coming to our Peninsula - the Bolivar Peninsula Examiner, which I've agreed to write and edit. More about that a little later.  Right now, I'm busy writing for The Beach Triton and will keep on doing that. Be sure to get and read this month's edition of that fun paper if you can.

Don't forget, next Sunday is Mother's Day, some women's favorite holiday.  If your mom is no longer living, choose another good woman and honor her in some fashion on this Mother's Day. It will be good for both of you and bring lots of happiness.  Life is short - use it wisely.

Until the next page turns,

Brenda

Enjoy the new blog photos.

Saturday, May 2, 2009, from the cabin on the marsh...

Beautiful day here on Bolivar on the beaches and on the marsh.  Hazy white clouds, gentle breezes, water lapping playfully along the shore and birds flying in the air.  Fishing must be good, too, because the North Jetty has lots of fish feeders on it today.  Some seem to be catching some fish and all appear to be having fun.

Ted says we are going to be "catchermen" and not just "fishermen."  He just about has our boat repaired from the storm and after removing a big piece of metal that was lodged in the hull, I think it is about sea worthy again.

Lots going on with the end of school nearing so rapidly.  The kids finished their TAKS testing last week and one could hear a collective sigh of relief from both teachers and students.  We were all very pleased to learn that Steven is doing well.  He scored the highest grade in his class for English (makes MaMa proud).  He got a 99.49 out of a possible 100 points and he pulled in at 155 on his book reading theme project.  Yea for him!  He will graduate from eighth grade and be officially ready for high school next school term.  We hear Brendan is making good grades, too, at his new school near Nashville.  We hope to see him during the summer months for his regular vacation at the beach.

Brent preached his last sermon at Val Verde here in Texas last Sunday and will soon be on his way to Community Baptist Church in lovely St. Petersburg, Florida.  Valerie and the kids will join him around June 1 when school is out. Both he and Valerie and Quinn, their oldest, has been very ill this week with a strain of the flu, not diagnosed as swine flue. We're having an onset of the swine flu here in the area and many of our school systems are closed down because of it.  Folks are very sick when they get it despite news reports saying it is mild.  We are all trying to be very careful and DeAnna is being given medication at her job because of working with incoming passengers.  She is still very sad about Brent moving to Florida and taking his children with him.  She thinks they won't have any "fun" in their lives without her!

Speaking of fun, I'm having so much fun on FaceBook after DeAnna made me join.  I've heard from so many of my old and dear friends that it is amazing.  Ron and Brenda English and John and Betty Pace (and others) and I have been catching up this week on the years that have passed.  I love communicating with John and Lydia Carpenter and so many more that I've found through this means.  Betty Pennell, an old friend from Forrest Hills, found me, as well as so many more.  Heard from Betty Owens Mosley this week, too.

Take care and happy week before Mother's Day, and until the next page turns,

Brenda

Sunday evening from the beautiful marsh of the Gulf Coast...

Sorry I've been so negligent in writing, but my, we have been busy around these parts.  Steven, my 14-year-old grandson, is settling in just fine here with us, and he is doing well at school at Crenshaw on the Peninsula.  His progress report shows that he is making good grades, so we are thankful for that.  He has had two big projects to complete because he is nearing the end of the eighth grade.  One was on a book he had to read, "Witness," by Karen Hesse about prejudice and ill will. The other was on Robert E. Lee and we were able to find and use photos of the famous general on Stone Mountain to add a personal touch.

The school has a big talent show coming up on May 21 and Steven will participate in that. He is doing well with his guitar lessons and takes weekly from Michael Stewart here on the Peninsula. Michael is originally from West Virginia and is a very talented musician.  He also continues to play his drums and takes band at school.

We celebrated his big 14th birthday with several activities in his honor; cupcakes at school for his classmates, a chocolate birthday cake cut at the home of Terri and Randy Ward, his good friends and the owners of the two big dogs Steven bathes and cares for at their home.  And, then last night (Saturday), we had five couples over that have been especially kind to Steven in some way. Dana and Tim Turner from Beaumont came out. They have property here on the Peninsula and are now set up in their travel trailer on their lot.  The Turners bought Steven a wonderful acoustic guitar that he loves.  Becky and Rusty Cluck, our dear friends and neighbors here on the Peninsula, were also on hand, and they gave Steven a flash drive for his computer. He loved that! Michael, his music teacher, and his wife, GinGee, attended and gave him money for whatever he wanted or needed.  

Terry and Randy came to join us, too, and Terri found Steven two fabulous t-shirts (Rolling Stones and Rock) and an amp he needed for his guitar, so all in all, he had a wonderful birthday. Ted and I gave him a new leather guitar case, got Direct TV and Internet hooked up at the new house and some smaller gifts. His dad sent him a beautiful card with money inside.  Yea!  He said he loved getting "stuff" for his birthday. Each adult gave him one comment or piece of advice for his young life and that was a special time for everyone present.

Living on the marsh is different than living on the beach, but just as nice in a different way.  The wildlife and birds are amazing.  And the beach is just down the way a bit in walking distance, so we have the best of both worlds.  We met our next door neighbors, Dewey and Daisy Jones, originally from Houston, and they are a very neat couple.  

We are presently working on the Crenshaw Bulldog Talent Show for May 21 at the school and helping getting out promo material for the 24th Annual Crab Fest and Stingaree Music Festival to take place on Bolivar, May 29-31.  And, Steven will have a real graduation ceremony complete with cap and gown at the end of May.

Ted and I are fine and stay busy all of the time.  We each serve on several different rebuilding Bolivar committees.  Ted is on Housing with the Bolivar BLUEprint Committee and I serve on Human Resources, and both are active and interesting.  The Yahoo Group Internet site, Bolivar BLUE, which I formed shortly after the storm is very active also and we've made tons of new friends there.  Still no major payments from Texas Windstorm and so we all continue to wait to rebuild our homes.

Take care and stay safe.  We are hearing today much about the swine flu and see on TV that Mexico City is shut down for all practical purposes. There are cases in Texas, but so far, we are all well and safe here on Bolivar.

Life on the marsh in Southeast Texas

Steven, my oldest grandson, Ted, and I are getting accustomed to living a varied life right on the marshland on the Gulf of Mexico.  I never knew the different wildlife and birds that call this part of Texas home.  One can stand or sit on our long deck any time of the day or night and be entertained as if you are watching a televised program on National Geographic or one of the programs similar to that.  The birds are amazing in their color, flight patterns, habits and how they eat from what Mother Nature has provided for them.

We moved back to the Peninsula after having lived in a beautiful condo in Galveston for several months since the storm.  Because of having to ride the ferry back and forth, and waiting in the always long lines, much of the workday was spent in transportation and we needed to get back on Bolivar to seriously begin the building process. Our seven lots are cleared and cleaned of all debris (except Ted's boat collection) and we are ready to begin.

We have been busy getting settled into new quarters, cleaning, decorating and putting things away.  It's beginning to look like home now.

We attended a huge panel discussion yesterday sponsored by The Public Adjusters for our Bolivar Peninsula residents to learn more about how we can continue to fight against the injustices being meted out by Texas Windstorm Insurance Association.  No one here on the entire Peninsula has been paid fairly that we know of anyway.  Most are being offered the 11.2 percent settlement we were presented with, which is nothing like what we are owed.  The battle continues!

Steven Alan Brown, soon to be 14,  came to live with Ted and I a week ago from his home in Tennessee.  It appears that his mom (my youngest daughter, Nikki) and my son in law (Steve Brown) are getting a divorce and breaking up their beautiful home nestled in the pretty pastureland of Tennessee just under the Kentucky border. Divorce is always hardest on the children and Steven and Brendan are no exception.  

Steven has adapted well to life in Southeast Texas and my friends have been wonderful to surround him with lots of love and attention.  He had his first week in eighth grade at our new Crenshaw School and did very well. He made 110 on his weekly spelling test by getting all of those hard words correctly and a bonus word.  He was thrilled as was I!   He is also continuing to take guitar lessons here on the Peninsula and enjoys that music. One of my friends brought him a new iPod and complete set up yesterday to the gathering, plus $100 of iTunes gift cards and he was absolutely delighted. He was also given a $25 gift card by another friend for helping with the gathering.

Ted can teach Steven a lot about "man stuff," and the two will no doubt fish, build, repair, tinker and oh, did I mention eat?  He and I have always had a special connection and nothing has ever broken that.

Please pray for my children that God's will can be done and that Brendan will fare well during all of this.  He is getting to visit his dad this weekend in Georgia and he was excited about that trip.

Happy Easter and Happy Spring to each of you, dear family and friends.

Settled into a leased cottage on the marsh on the Gulf

Dear Family and Friends,

Ted and I celebrated our second wedding anniversary yesterday amidst moving yet again.  We have been able to secure a nice little cottage located in our community on the marshland and Gulf.  We are much closer to the water than we were in our home that Ike took out (yes, Ginger and Millie, I do know that hurricane season is coming again in June and I have been reading the predictions for this year).  It is amazing to stand on our long deck and watch a myriad of birds taking off and nesting in the tall spring grass of the marsh.  

We leased the cottage from Victor Emmanuel of Victor Emmanuel Nature Tours.  Victor bought the cottage some years ago because of its location on the water and he is kind to allow us to lease it for a full year.  Again, we know we are better off than many of our dear friends who still have no home to call their own.

We are continuing the battle with Texas Windstorm Insurance Association and they have not paid what they should to us or anyone else.  Our protest in Austin on March 13, the six-month anniversary of Hurricane Ike, was effective and we got their attention, which was our goal.  The claims adjusters began calling on Saturday morning offering some of our folks a slight increase, but still not nearly what they should be paying.

We have engaged the services of a highly sought after public adjusting firm out of Florida, The Public Adjusters, and signed on with Chip Merlin of the Merlin Law Group, also out of Florida, to pursue our case should it go on to litigation.  We feel we honestly have no other options and think that these professionals may have a better chance than we, as individuals, would ever have against the  system we are facing.  I am very impressed with Chip's record and he is representing us personally because of the Yahoo Group, BolivarBLUE, and the number of contacts we have by way of that means.

BLUE continues to grow and provide important information to our members.  We are having a large meeting on Saturday where we will meet members of the adjusting team, weather experts, engineers who have been on Bolivar, and many other professionals engaged in this major recovery effort.

Steven, my oldest grandson, son of Steve and Nikki in Tennessee, has come to live with Ted and me here in Texas.  He is a fine boy, very intelligent, and enjoying going to school at the brand new campus on the beach.  He has completed his first three days successfully and came home with a 110 on his very difficult spelling test today.  He will be going into ninth grade next year and we are very proud of him.  We trust Brendan, the youngest, will come for much of the summer here with us as well.  Ted is a wonderful teacher, instructor, and pal to these boys.

My son, Brent Stancil, resigned Val Verde Baptist Church in Groves where he has pastored faithfully for some 12 years.  He will be moving to Saint Petersburg, Florida, where he will pastor the Community Baptist Church there.  His last Sunday in Texas will be April 26th.  It is a sad move for DeAnna, who has been thoroughly involved with the church since her move to Texas. I do trust that all of my good friends there in Florida will visit his new church and help to welcome him to The Sunshine State.  Val Verde has not called a new pastor, and the search committee is busily trying to determine God's will for this good group of folks who love the Lord and each other.

Sorry I have been so negligent in keeping up the blog site, but with the Yahoo Group and everything else I am involved in, I have very little time.  I am including a photo taken at the big protest in Austin on a cold, rainy, windy Texas day.  I had the opportunity or challenge to question Jim Oliver, the director of Texas Windstorm Insurance Association for quite a while on the wet parking lot.  We did not get satisfactory responses needless to say.

Sunday Morning Coming Down on the Bolivar Peninsula

We woke up early here on the Bolivar Peninsula on this fine Sunday morning in beautiful March, even with the time change arriving during the hours we slept. Looking out the windows of our newly repaired RV, we can see things we've never seen before from our property.  I can see many cars coming off the ferry from the Galveston area and old Fort Travis shines proudly now that crews have cleared debris and growth from in front of the massive bunkers that have protected many soldiers and civilians since its construction. The North Jetty is adorned with its fishermen and women, and even some smaller tykes. From time to time, one or the other of them appears to catch a fish or a crab.

I can also still see great piles of debris, parts of fallen in houses, abandoned vehicles, lawn mowers, boats (did I mention boats?), pieces of trailers to move those boats, blown sand piles, heavy equipment, tools of various degrees and flying American and Texan flags.  Bolivar, for all of the hard work by so many, still resembles a war zone where much combat took place.  It is discouraging at times and heartening at other times.  Clean up is dirty work and our beloved Peninsula will remain in this stage for a long time to come.  The cleared areas, for whatever reason that they have been worked, are encouraging and new growth is appearing here and there.

Many of our people cannot come home because many of them have no home left to come to. Most are in a battle for their life against the huge Texas Windstorm Insurance Association and we've found that this sad group is not playing by the rules.  More than 100 (at this point) of our friends, neighbors and family members are protesting their action (or lack of) in Austin in front of TWIA's offices on Friday, March 13, the exact anniversary of the day our lives changed so drastically. Many have come home — sort of, anyway — to RVs, fifth wheels, and partially repaired properties.  We laughingly call ourselves "slabbers" the name TWIA dubbed us early on after the storm. Many others we know simply cannot face coming here to the Peninsula where they believe their dreams of a lifetime died violently six months ago.  One of our neighbors has never been back and her husband says she cannot come back. She has developed a raging fear of the water, a fear of diseases she surmises are here, and a fear of losing her life, as at least four of our immediate neighbors did.

For me, personally, once I see the Gulf, with her lazy waves rolling in, or even on a windy day, when the waves beat their way to the shoreline, hear the cry of the gulls, watch the ships come and go, and see little children playing in the sand, I remember vividly why I nailed my mast to the staff here in this place and why I will fight to the bitter end to have my life continue where I choose to live.  Bolivar Peninsula is for me the very closest place I've found to the heart of God and what I most imagine Heaven to be like.  Until I change locations, love me, but don't worry about me.  I am a survivor.  I have good friends and a husband who are also survivors.  We will be back strong, vibrant, happy, peaceful and content, and, hey, you can come see us on vacation or any time you get an off day from your work.  We'd love to have you — as long as you behave yourselves, don't dirty up our beaches, treat the land and water respectively,  and join us in our effort to get fair treatment at the hand of our insurance companies.  We need your support and involvement as this battle continues.

Tennessee visit coming to an end

As plans now stand, I am leaving for the return trip to Texas in the early morning. Ted and I have much to accomplish there toward the rebuilding effort of our home which was lost to Hurricane Ike back in September.  Texas Windstorm Insurance Association offered us less than 9 percent of our total insured value, the same as they have our friends and neighbors, and it is a joke. We, of course, declined and are continuing to battle for our rightful payment.

Our Yahoo Internet Group, BolivarBLUE, which I founded shortly after the hurricane, has organized a protest demonstration in front of the big TWIA building in Austin, on Friday, March 13, for those who are dissatisfied with the association's practices.  Several dozen folks are joining us there and our media coverage has just gotten underway.  It is shameful that this huge association of insurance companies has banded together to beat lawful policy holders out of what is due them for their homes.

It is very simple.  We struggled to buy and pay for hurricane insurance for our homes.  We had a hurricane.  TWIA will not pay our policy values.  They have engaged in some unsavory practices, including, but not limited to, hooking up with engineering firms that are not on the ethical side to try to prove that water came before the wind. If you look up the definition of a hurricane, you will note it is a wind-driven event. Six months is long enough to wait and be patient, while many of the Bolivar Peninsula residents are virtually homeless.  And, for the record, FEMA is largely a joke, too.

DeAnna and Callie flew into Nashville and DeAnna and Nikki and I drove to Atlanta on Sunday in a terrible snow, sleet and ice storm to bury my nephew John Paul Richardson who was found dead in bed on Thursday. Cause of death has not been determined, but he did have sleep apnea and they believe that played a role.  Our sympathy goes out to Jean Richardson, his mom, Joe Richardson, his father, Misty, his sister, and handsome David, his brother, and to Willie Stancil, his grandmother who loved him greatly. How sad to bury a child or brother.

Please continue to pray for the residents of the Bolivar Peninsula who were so affected by Hurricane Ike and its aftermath.  Our battle has been underway for six months now and we are tired, but not discouraged.

I am uploading a photo DeAnna sent me last night of Mother (Flo Davis) and myself taken at my retirement party last January.  Mother died on August 26, 2008 on her 87th birthday after suffering a stroke caused by a cancerous brain tumor.  

Having fun on the Tennessee Farm...

My sister in law, Teresa Fowler Stancil, drove up from the Atlanta, Georgia area to the Nashville, Tennessee farm of my daughter and son in law, Steve and Nikki Brown, to spend the weekend with us.  We've had such fun playing "farmers,"and feeding the various animals who call this home.  We went to WalMart (everyone goes to town on Saturday here) and we bought fresh carrots for the horses, made big milk bottles for the baby calves, and bought cream cheese and olives for the people.

Coming home, we hurried to the barn to feed the calves before dark.  As Teresa was feeding Rusty, the largest of the five horses, he decided he liked her finger as well as the crunchy carrot she was holding for him.  The baby calves, born December 23, were Christmas gifts to Steve, Nikki, Steven and Brendan and have been the source of much fun and learning for the entire family. Nikki often calls Texas to tell PaPa Ted that she thinks of him warmly every morning at 5:30 AM when she marches out to the barn in the cold to bottle feed the babies.  They are growing quickly now and Truffles, Steven's calf, is the largest by far.  Oreo and Beau are keeping up and they can empty the giant bottles in only seconds now.  They have also adapted well to the sweet feed provided for them and are now eating some hay to supplement the milk diet.

We've played Scrabble, bowled on the Wii game, cooked and eaten great food, made music with the boys, and in general, enjoyed ourselves immensely.  Steven and Teresa both play guitar and Steven also plays drums, so it has been an eventful, fun-filled weekend we will long remember. We also got in a bit of shopping and discussed all of the recent books we have read as well as escorting Steven and his little friend, Callie, and Ryan and Nikki, on a double date to Hendersonville for a Valentine movie.  Teresa and I chose to see Clint Eastwood in Gran Torino.

There's nothing like enjoying the simple things of life and being around those you love. DeAnna and Melissa, you've missed a hoot of a time!  Had you been able to see Teresa when the horse chomped on her finger while the calves were butting her, you would have convulsed in laughter.

PaPa Ted was so right in suggesting the calves as Christmas gifts.  They've been great hits!

Until the next page turns,

Brenda

Another spectacular event -Valentine Gathering for BolivarBLUE

Property owners and residents of the Bolivar Peninsula were treated to a wonderful afternoon event at Coconuts, a really good restaurant now open, on Saturday, February 7.  BolivarBLUE, a Yahoo Internet Group I founded shortly after Hurricane Ike ravaged our shores, hosted the celebration for some very hard working and tired folks.  Everyone had a ball and many got to reconnect with old and dear friends while many others made new friends and met neighbors on the Peninsula.

A lifelong friend of mine in the Atlanta area, Pam Hicks Gresham, could not see how our women folks were making it after having lost their jewelry to the storm so she organized a collection to replace some of it among her family and friends and church members.  Pam's idea soon spread and we had jewelry coming from many places.  Each piece was bagged and sealed and the women were invited to come and choose. What fun they had opening their bags and seeing new and interesting sparkling things to be treasured.

Another friend on the site and a tireless worker on the Peninsula, wanted to share her very large collection of cook books with ladies who had lost theirs.  Edith Watson with the help of Dianne Ledet, founder of the Bolivar Peninsula Yahoo Group, brought over 1,000 volumes and shared with our guests.  Another donation came from Meredith Hamilton who gave 100 copies of the Winnie Rice Festival cook books, which were big hits, too.

We also were joined by more than two dozen vendors and service providers offering help to the residents.  All in all, it was a wonderful day on the beach for all concerned.

If you are interested in keeping up with happenings on the Bolivar Peninsula, you are welcome to go to Yahoo Groups and type in BolivarBLUE (spelled in this fashion) and we'll gladly welcome you.  The "BLUE" is an acronym for Beach Lovers United Effectively and we're having such fun with this crew.  Ted is a tireless advocate for recruiting new members and tells everyone he meets about the site.

Our thanks to Rusty and Becky Cluck who took charge of our decorations and did a masterful job, to Randy and Terri Ward who always work, to Edith Watson and Dianne Ledet, and to many others who contributed.  

Evening with Author Mitch Albom - Fantastic

Many hours of hard work came to a culmination last Thursday evening, February 5, in Beaumont, Texas at the beautiful Julie Rogers Theatre when best selling author Mitch Albom came to speak. His appearance in Southeast Texas was hosted by the Todd Christopher Legacy of Love Cancer Foundation, of which I was honored to have been named publicist. It was an astonishing evening for everyone concerned.

More than 1,300 people filled the seats of the Julie Rogers and Albom did not disappoint a single one of them when he spoke about his old college professor Morrie. You may remember that he hit the best seller lists with his sensational book, "Tuesdays with Morrie," followed by "The Five People You Meet in Heaven," and his latest, "For One More Day." Albom is also an acclaimed ESPN sportscaster and appears weekly on the Sports Reporters Show on ESPN. He is also an accomplished musician and songwriter, among his many other talents.

I had the privilege of being his private host for the evening's event and was so pleased to see that Mitch is pretty much a "regular guy" when he first arrived in the green room before speaking to the waiting audience. We talked about the local area, people likely to be in the audience and his new book on faith coming out in September.  From the minute he took the podium, he had the audience in his grip.  I watched and listened from the shadows of the stage curtains.  When he finished his speech, something very interesting happened.  The audience stood to is collective feet and did not move nor make a sound.

Ted was in the audience and he was very impressed.  He said he'd never seen anything quite like it.  No one wanted to move or leave.  They simply stood in a reverent attendance.  Finally, as one, they begin to clap and clap and clap.  Mitch had agreed to sign copies of his latest book and I had the joy of again being with him during this lengthy process.  He literally met hundreds of folks, spoke with them and graciously signed their books.

It is so nice to be able to report when a well known guest makes an appearance where folks have worked hard to prepare for them that they are far more than was expected.  In this case, Mitch Albom went above and beyond  what folks thought he might be.  He is one of  the better speakers I've ever heard and Ted agrees.  He makes his audience seriously think about what he has said.  The topic was "For One More Day," and making our lives count.

WOW! 

If you ever get the opportunity to hear him, go, whatever it takes.  And, buy his books, too!

Making a difference...one person at a time...

One of my favorite little stories of recent years is the one about the young man walking along on a deserted beach on a windy, blustery day. An embittered older gentleman was standing above him on a bluff observing the young man stopping often, picking up something, and seemingly tossing whatever it was back into the surf.

Finally the older man couldn't stand it any longer, so he walked down and blocked the young man's way.  He then saw thousands of starfish stranded on the beach from the recent high tide.  "Don't you know that you can't save all of these starfish?" he asked the younger man. "You're just wasting your time here.  Go on and do something that matters to the world."  The young man smiled back and continued to toss the starfish back into the water.  "What I'm doing sure makes a difference to that one starfish I just tossed back into the water."

I firmly believe that's the attitude Christians must have about their work in this world.  We may not be able to change every bad situation or help every person with which we come into contact, but we can certainly work to be a blessing and help to one person at a time.  Who knows what an encouraging smile, a friendly hello, an invitation for a quick meal, or something more substantial might do to change a life?  Kindness doesn't always win, but I had much rather be found on the side of erring toward goodness than evil.

I read a story this week that focused my mind on the coming Super Bowl.  I have checked several references to be certain that the facts are straight and it is a wonderfully heart-warming reflection on one man changing the world for one family.  Normally, when I don't have a favorite team playing, the Super Bowl isn't all that thrilling, but I've decided this week that I'm cheering for the Arizona Cardinals and their quarterback, Kurt Warner.  My choice has little to do with football or his skill in the game, but I like his attitude about life.

I read that Kurt Warner worked as a bag boy for a local grocery store. One day he was called up front to help bag groceries and when he looked at the young lady running the register, he was shocked by her beauty.  He waited around the store entrance a few days later hoping to run into her again.  Sure enough, she clocked out and came out the door.  He asked if he could take her home.  She said no.

A day or two later, he waited and asked again if he could drive her home.  Again, she said no. Finally he got up the nerve to ask her out on a real date.  She said, "I'd like to go out with you, but I think you should know that I am divorced and have two children."  Warner simply smiled and said, "No problem.  I'll get a sitter." The night of the date arrived and the sitter didn't. Brenda (just happens we share the same name) called and said, "We can't go out.  The sitter did not show."  Warner said it didn't matter and suggested that they take the kids with them. Brenda objected and told him that her son had been in an accident when he was young and required special care.  Warner again said that it didn't matter.  The couple went out and took the kids with them.  Brenda (now Warner) said that she was truly amazed at how good Kurt was with her children, and especially her son.  When he had to go to the bathroom, Kurt took him and never complained once.

Later in an interview, Brenda is quoted as saying, "He fell in love with the children first and with me later."  Some time later, the two married and Warner has enjoyed a wonderful ride into his new position as quarterback of the Super Bowl team, the Arizona Cardinals.  They now have seven children, the two from Brenda's first marriage and five of their own.

To me, this is a thrilling example of one man making a change in another's life.  

I can't help but root for the good guy to win on Sunday afternoon while the world watches.

Bolivar BLUE Valentine Gathering on February 7th

Happy Valentine Day to family and friends and a 

special reminder to all of the members of 

Bolivar BLUE, Bolivar Peninsula residents,

renters, property owners, and friends...

You are cordially invited to attend a Valentine

Gathering beginning at 2, at Coconuts on Highway 87 on the Peninsula. We will enjoy a time of fellowship together with both old and new friends, some great door prizes and some surprise gifts from folks around the country.

The meal is to be purchased from Coconuts - Dutch treat, so you'll eat what you want.

Let Tward1216@yahoo.com or myself, brendacannonhenley@yahoo.com know that you plan to be attendance for this special event.

Following the Valentine Gathering, representatives will be on hand to answer questions about housing needs for Bolivar residents.  This part of the program will begin at 4 and only those that are interested are asked to stay.  

Until the next page turns, and Happy Valentine to all,

Brenda

Sorry I've been so negligent...

Hello Friends and Family Members...Mitch Albom, author of "Tuesdays with Morrie," "The Five People You Meet in Heaven," and "For One More Day" is coming to speak in Beaumont on February 5.  He is pictured on the right.  More details in post.

Life has been on the very fast track for the past few weeks and we haven't stopped to catch our breath it seems.  We stayed in Nashville with the kids for a week and bought new calves for Steve, Nikki, Steven and Brendan for Christmas as well as a few other things we had taken up for surprises.  Nikki said every morning around five when she goes out to feed them their big bottles, she thinks of Ted very warmly.  But, truthfully, they love the big babies and are having fun with them.  Steven's calf, Truffles, is the largest and will bring the most money when it is sold.

From Nashville, we went on to Amarillo, Ted's home town, and visited there for a week and then returned to Galveston Island where we continue our long, long battle with FEMA, Texas Windstorm Insurance and trying to get electricity turned on and the beginnings of a house started.  We do have water!  And, I mean the kind that comes in a pipe and not by way of a storm.  Texas Windstorm continues to delay and everyone is getting angry over the four-month long battle. They are now saying that the study group of experts that they commissioned could not come to an agreement about what happened and it will now be the end of February before we are told whether they are going to pay or not.  So unfair after we, like our friends, paid those insurance payments faithfully to them.  We just want to resume our life on the beach.

Pam Hicks Gresham, a dear friend in Atlanta, has come up with an idea for all the ladies of Bolivar.  She just could not understand how we were making it without our "things," so she organized a group of family and friends to collect gently used and new jewelry and is sending it to the women of the Peninsula who lost everything.  My sister, Paula, also got involved and told the folks in her office who also wanted to share. Martha, my sister in law, told another sister in law who got involved and then a daughter in Dallas told her church, so we are having jewelry sent from various places.

We are organizing a February outing to disburse these lovely gifts of caring from many different places.  I think our ladies will love it!  And, our sincere appreciation to all those who have participated.  The boxes can be shipped to Post Office Box 323, Port Bolivar, Texas 77650.

I have also been very involved in the publicity for the Todd Christopher Legacy of Love Cancer Foundation.  The group has a huge event planned for Thursday evening, February 5, at the Julie Rogers Theatre in Beaumont, where Mitch Albom will speak.  Mitch wrote the very successful book, "Tuesdays with Morrie," featured on the Oprah Book Club, "The Five People You Meet in Heaven," and  his latest best seller, "For One More Day."  I have been named publicist for this group and have been busy designing ads, fliers and personal appearances for the committee members.  We are doing radio, television and much print media.  It is a wonderful opportunity for the folks in Southeast Texas to meet and hear Mitch Albom, who is also a sportscaster for ESPN and an excellent speaker and radio personality.  Tickets are available by calling (409) 962-7866.

I continue to work daily with the Bolivar BLUE Yahoo Group members.  This is a group I founded shortly after Hurricane Ike hit our area.  To join this group and to keep up with what is going on here, simply go to Yahoo Groups and click on Bolivar BLUE and you will be directed to the site.  The BLUE is an acronym for Beach Lovers United Effectively, an idea I came up with around 3 a.m. one day shortly after the storm hit.  Ted and I have made some wonderful new friends in this group and have had many questions answered.

Have lots of new pictures to post and will just as soon as I can grab a minute.  Note to the lady who wrote me about the painting of bluebonnets done by Flo Davis in the 80s.  I don't think that was my mother, but I would love to know more about the painting.  My husband loves bluebonnets and has many pictures of them he has taken.  I have not been able to get back to you from the posting on the guest book.  So sorry.  I have tried.

Until the next page turns,

Brenda

If you want to write to me, please use brendacannonhenley@yahoo.com.

Christmas Eve 2008

Dear Family and Friends,

(Pic at right is Duke Holiday, the Brown family's new English Bulldog that came as a surprise gift to Steve from Nikki and the boys for his Christmas gift this year.)

I am writing from the home of my daughter, Nikki, and husband, Steve, in the Nashville, Tennessee area.  Ted and I have been here since Sunday visiting with our grandsons, Steven, now 13, and Brendan, now 11.  Both boys have big Christmas plans, wishes and dreams.  It has been my Christmas joy to be with them and sit and visit, hear about what's going on in their lives and hear their dreams of the future. Steven is in 8th grade and Brendan in 6th grade.  It seems impossible that they should be this grown up already.

It has been very cold, windy and a heavy, driving rain fell off and on today.  Steve has built a big, blazing fire in the stone fireplace and Nikki and I made rich chocolate fudge together from an old family recipe after dinner.  Tomorrow we have a honey baked ham, homemade potato salad, a good casserole, hot rolls, and a chocolate cake, among other goodies to call our Christmas dinner.  We have played games and have a couple of good championships going on!

I know, deep within my heart, that we are blessed.  Being with family and dear friends is my fondest wish for Christmas and I celebrated my 66th birthday yesterday amid much festivities and planned activities here.  When I awoke yesterday morning, there were seven envelopes taped to my door, each with a different greeting and specific instructions about when to open them.  I celebrated all day and opened other gifts in the evening.  We also got to take part in a small "Christmas miracle" for a young man in the area.  He is a good teenager, who works hard to help his folks and he is getting a bright red pickup truck unbeknown to him for Christmas. His face will be one to see in the morning when he wakes up and goes outside.

I wish for each of you a very Merry Christmas and a very Happy and Blessed New Year.  For those who have lost loved ones this year, may your hearts find peace and rest and may 2009 bring renewed joy.  We, like so many of our dear friends, are waiting to hear from Texas Windstorm Insurance as to whether the rebuilding cost of our home will be covered.  If so, we have a busy year ahead of us rebuilding and getting settled back into our home on the beach in Port Bolivar.  Hurricane Ike took a lot of things from us, but he did not take our hope and our inner joy.  We still know that God is good and that He has a plan for our lives, as He does for yours.  

Merry Christmas, until the next page turns,

Brenda

Psalm 37:4

Monday, December 15, 2008 from Galveston Island

Hello family and friends, 

We, like almost everyone we know, are trying to finish up our Christmas shopping and sending since so many of our family members and friends live in different places.  Poor Ted has been to our local post office three times already and I believe that with today's shipments, we are finished getting our Christmas cheer into the mail.  May God bless each of you during these happy holidays.

We had snow in Galveston last week.  On Wednesday night, the large flakes started falling early in the evening and it was so beautiful coming down between our condo and the dark water of the Gulf.  Beaumont and some parts of Houston had up to three inches, which is just downright rare here in these parts.

Four or five of our Yahoo Group BolivarBLUE have December birthdays so we are throwing a big birthday party for Max Watson, Warren Adams, Terri Ward and myself on Saturday night to celebrate birthdays, not Christmas.  Jay Cowart, a former neighbor on the Peninsula, has just written to say his birthday is December 24th, his mom's December 23rd, and his son's December 26th.  My good friend, Ginger Bragg Doster, in Atlanta, celebrates on December 26th, so Happy Birthday to all of the December babies.  My baby daughter, Nicole, celebrated on December 2nd as well.

We've had some more disturbing news from Texas Windstorm Insurance.  The Agency had promised us "slabbers" that we would have a definite answer by the end of the year as to whether they were or were not going to pay on our claims for windstorm coverage on our homes.  They announced last week that the study group they had hired to determine this issue could not reach an agreement and that it would like be the end of January now before they would be able to make their decision known to homeowners.  It is so unfair and it seems so long to wait.  It has been over three months now since Hurricane Ike hit and it will be more than four months before they rule.  They have successfully evaded the 30-day rule for payment of claims by sending each of us certified letters (at $5.32 a pop) asking for something more. When you call to see what more they want, you are told, "Oh, not to worry.  Your file is complete.  We do not need anything else."  But with the letter, they have complied with their responsibility to respond.  It is an awful problem and one that takes the patience of Job.  So, please keep on praying for our situation.

Pam Hicks Gresham, a dear, old friend from Georgia, came up with a wonderful holiday plan for the ladies of Bolivar Peninsula who lost so much to the storm.  She has organized among her relatives and friends a collection of good, used, and some new jewelry, and is sharing those gifts with the ladies of the Peninsula.  Right after the first of the year, we are planning a get together where these gifts will be distributed to anyone from the Peninsula who wishes to participate.  If you'd like to have a part in this collection, please contact Pam at pamgresham@comcast.net and let her know your desires.  Pam wrote to say she doesn't see how we ladies get along without our "things."  Some days, she is more right than others!

As for now, Ted and I plan to travel to the Nashville area to be with Steve and Nikki and the boys, Steven and Brendan, for Christmas.  We plan to buy the boys each a young calf to tend and to grow.  We think it will help teach responsibility and it will also gain them some money toward college costs if we can keep this idea going for the balance of their high school years. We will also visit with Christine and David, Ted's daughter and husband, while there.

From Nashville, we'll head to Amarillo.  Ted must check on some rental property there and we will see Darrell, his son, and Michelle, his daughter in law, and their children, David and Rebecca, as well as visit with Nelda and George, Rick and Dutch, and others on this leg of the holiday trip.  Pray for us as we travel, please.

Take care and may God grant you a very Merry Christmas and a Blessed and Happy New Year.

Until the next page turns,

Brenda

Happy Birthday, Nikki, my youngest daughter...Updates

Things are settling down into some sort of routine here now, although it is new and different for Ted and myself. We are living in a nice condo, The Dawn, at 7000 Seawall Blvd., on Galveston Island, just across the bay from the Bolivar Peninsula, where we call home.  We are still waiting, as our most of our friends and neighbors, on Texas Windstorm Insurance to decide whether or not they will be paying the value of our hard-earned policies.

Tuesday, Dec. 2 was Elena Nicole's (Nikki) birthday and she celebrated with her immediate family and friends at her home in the Nashville area after having to attend the funeral of a friend's grandmother in the afternoon.  She was grieving over turning 32 years old.  I can barely remember 32, but I do remember balking a bit at the decades' birthdays.  Her sister, DeAnna and I both sent flower arrangements and will take gifts when we go nearer Christmas, but there's really nothing like being with a person on his or her birthday.  I kind of dread Nikki's birthday some years because mine follows exactly three weeks to the day on the 23rd.  When either DeAnna, Brent or Nikki talk about how old they are getting to be, I ask, "What about me?  How do you think your age makes me feel?"  Truthfully, I feel great and I realize that I have some wonderful blessings in my life.  Happy Birthday, Nikki!

On Saturday, Nov. 29, BolivarBLUE, a Yahoo Internet Group that I founded, hosted a Thanksgiving Celebration for those on the Peninsula who were not going to be able to travel this year.  We originally planned for about 30 to 40 people, but the word got out and we ended up with some 135 people at the gathering.  It was wonderful!  We had to move the location to Coconuts, a nearly-ready-t0-open business housing four different entities on Bolivar, and it was certainly a good thing we did move the gathering.  It was overflowing.

Brent, (Dr. John Stancil), my son, who pastors Val Verde Baptist Church in Groves, in cooperation with Greg Rife, director of Restore Ministries, brought down two huge trailers of good canned food and bottled water and distributed it to the residents of Bolivar.  The water was a big blessing as it is very difficult to obtain on the Peninsula just now.  Everyone seemed grateful for the food and for the attention, and it was really a great day for all of us.  Our sincere thanks to all who participated to make the day so special.  There are 26 pictures of the event on the BolivarBLUE Group site.  

Should any of you who read the blog wish to check out the Yahoo Group site, just go to Yahoo Groups and click on BolivarBLUE.  The BLUE is an acronym for Beach Lovers United Effectively and we are having fun with this group as well as exchanging valuable information with each other about Hurricane Ike, Galveston County and the huge task of rebuilding our lives.  Please continue to pray that we will get a good word from our insurance claims.  So many are waiting on that to happen to continue to make plans to rebuild.

We had our septic system inspected yesterday, which is the very first step on the long road back to living on the Peninsula.  It passed, which is great news to us.  Now, we can file with the County, get a permit and get our electricity hooked to a new temporary pole.  It is really starting over from square one right now.

A dear friend of mine called from Beaumont and said the three magic words that I find difficult to resist.  She said, "I need you."  And then, she added the question, "Can you and Ted drive into Beaumont this morning?"  We did and I met with a board of trustees concerning a new Foundation being formed in memory of Todd Christopher, a local businessman who lost his battle with cancer at only age 57.  I am going to be serving as the publicist for this outstanding group of people.  

We also met Martha, Ted's sister, for an early dinner before returning to the Island.  How exciting!  I just found out that my sister-in-law, Connie Davis, just joined BolivarBLUE so she can keep up with what's going on in our lives here in Texas.  That's the beauty of blogs and groups — They help to keep folks connected even with miles between them.

The Foundation is hosting "An Evening of Hope," featuring Mitch Albom, the very successful author who wrote "Tuesdays with Morrie," "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" and "For One More Day," his latest effort.  There will be a book signing, his speech to the crowd, and a dessert and champagne reception following the event.  I actually had to start working really hard again this morning, but it is fun, too.

Two exciting things happened today: I received my new Storm Blackberry phone/thing in the FEDEX delivery and DeAnna is furious with me because I got one before she did.  I don't know anything about it yet except how to answer it when it rings and how to place a call.  They tell me I will love it when I get the hang of it all.  Second thing is that the editor of the Galveston Daily News, the oldest newspaper in Texas, called me and is running a piece I did this weekend. So that is rather exciting in itself.

Please continue praying for the Peninsula residents who are facing rebuilding after the devastation of Ike.  When Brent and DeAnna, and others from the church group, drove down the main highway on the Peninsula, they were aghast at the debris and destruction they saw.  It is difficult to describe until you see it in person.

Oh, one other bit of really exciting news...One of my oldest and dearest friends in Georgia has had an idea that is just fabulous.  Pam Hicks Gresham just can't understand how women can function without their "things," and she has questioned me about the losses we have had.  She had an idea of collecting gently used jewelry from her family, friends and church members and sending it to the women of the Bolivar Peninsula around the holidays as a personal expression of her care and concern about our lives.  Pam is an organizer and the idea took root and she is busy about making it happen.  If you want to have a part in this in any way, contact Pam Hicks Gresham at pamgresham@comcast.net.  She'd love to hear from you and I think her idea will bring a really bright spot to lots of ladies who lost everything they had. (The pic is the view out my bedroom window here at the condo - looking at the Gulf).

Until the next page turns, Merry Christmas,

Brenda