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#Waldrop Gen 1
sims-half-crazy · 1 year
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I posted 242 times in 2022
That's 62 more posts than 2021!
198 posts created (82%)
44 posts reblogged (18%)
Blogs I reblogged the most:
@twentiethcenturysims
@antiquatedplumbobs
@ivyandink
@happylifesims
@anachrosims
I tagged 212 of my posts in 2022
Only 12% of my posts had no tags
#ts4 decades challenge - 144 posts
#sims 4 historical - 141 posts
#ts4 historical - 140 posts
#sims4 - 131 posts
#sims 4 - 128 posts
#sims 4 screenshots - 125 posts
#decades challenge - 117 posts
#waldrop records - 115 posts
#waldrop gen 3 - 98 posts
#waldrop gen 2 - 86 posts
Longest Tag: 44 characters
#wanted to build a small french inspired town
My Top Posts in 2022:
#5
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May 16, 1910
Dearest sister,
I hope things are well there. We celebrated Margaret's thirteenth birthday a few days ago. Hard to believe the two oldest are teenagers now. Daisy took her shopping for more appropriate frocks and I can't believe how grown up she looks.
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15 notes - Posted February 20, 2022
#4
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March 3, 1918
**excerpt from Margaret's private diary**
The horror of war is something I never want to see again. There are so many men who made the voyage back to Simerica only to die at the hands of infection or influenza. It's all I can do to keep my hands from being rubbed raw from all the handwashing I do.
We have a new patient. We didn't think he'd make it through the first night, but he did. He'd been caught in an attack with mustard gas and then a nearby shell threw flaming debris at him. He's more bandage than skin at this point. I sing to him. I sing to all the patients. it soothes them, and keeps me in practice. He woke one night while I was tending him, and I had the unfortunate task of telling him that he was never going to regain the sight in his left eye. I told him that he would heal and that the doctors were hopeful that the scarring wouldn't be too bad. He asked that we pray, so I grabbed his hand and said a small, quick prayer with him.
He then introduced himself as Otho Petrie Roper and that his family immigrated here before he was born from Finland. He tells me stories that his mother and father told him. He's quite engaging. I feel so terribly that he's in such pain as he heals, but I'm glad for the chance to lessen his pain with my company and care.
15 notes - Posted March 14, 2022
#3
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15 notes - Posted November 16, 2022
#2
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January 14, 1911
I had to tell the girls that their mother would need more help over the next few weeks. I don't know rightly know what happened, Daisy is a competant cook and knows her way around the kitchen but she'd been complaining that the stove was acting funny of late. I should have paid more heed to what she was saying. The dadgum thing caught fire and in her attempts to put it out Daisy was burned. Not badly but her arm is burned. I don't know how badly she'll scar, but that's not even the worst of it. She was with child. We had no idea. She didn't even think she could get pregnant anymore; it's been so long since Josephine was born. My poor Daisy has had such terrible bleeding that the doctor put her on bedrest for the next week.
19 notes - Posted February 23, 2022
My #1 post of 2022
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27 notes - Posted November 11, 2022
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itsworn · 6 years
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Car Craft’s Top 25 Picks From the 2017 Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals
For many attendees, the annual Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals has become a yearly pilgrimage. Filling up the Stephens convention center in Rosemont, Illinois, minutes from O’Hare Airport, people travel from literally around the globe to be here. For most of the year leading up to it, managing MCACN member Bob Ashton is out locating a few great cars to invite. Well, more than a few; a lot of really great cars.
There are no bad cars at MCACN. The best of the best originals, the best historical examples, the best modern and accurate restorations, and some of the best stories all come together. Bob made a great statement in the annual program about how our cars erase the political, religious, color lines and gender lines that fissure modern culture. As the unifier in these somewhat turbulent times, there is a level appreciation for the finished and found, the rarest and “realest”, and more. But then Ashton goes and finds area managers from every interest and discipline who get cars for every category’s subcategory.
There were many special groups of cars from 1967, 1972, Formula Firebirds, Kar-Kraft Fords. There are Saturday morning unveiling of the latest restorations just like the original new car shows used to do. There are seminars and concerts, judged awards, and special displays. This is the greatest musclecar show on the planet. Period. You need all two days, always the weekend before Thanksgiving, to see it. So hopefully you enjoy these picks, but you really should come next year. Oh, and Ashton, you owe me a pair of shoes…
Car Craft Giveaway Car: 1969 Swinger in the Barn Finds section Tom Ellie brought his find from St. Petersburg Florida in, the original 1969 “Swinger” 340 Dart GTS. Really long-time readers will recall this machine from almost 50 years ago, when staffers like Terry Cook built this thing. That it survived so intact and in its original custom paint is pretty incredible, and it would be a hard decision whether to leave it be or restore it. Back in 1969, the Dodge was given away at the NHRA World Finals in Dallas to contest-drawing winner 16-year old William Outlaw (yes, correct). His mother accepted it for him, as his father Odis was over in Vietnam at the time.
Coolest Ex Car Craft Cover Car: 1970 Hemi Challenger This real Hemi Challenger showed up on our cover back in October 2013, after it had been stored but undriven for decades. Here it is, brought back to like-new condition by restorer Ward Gappa (left). The owner, Lowell McAdam (center), was very happy to have acquired this car, which has 98% of its original sheet-metal, a completely original Hemi driveline, and excellent documentation.
Nicest Engine without a Car: Malcolm Durham ZL1 With a lot of first-gen Camaros on hand, this engine was one of the most notorious. East coast racing hero Malcom Durham, known back in the day as the “D.C. Lip,” was a prominent player in the FX, Funny Car, and early Pro Stock wars with his Strip Blazer Chevrolets. It is believed he raced a blue 1969 COPO Camaro that is now known in the hobby as ZL1 #42, and Jeff Stranak has the rebuilt engine on a stand on display.
Nicest Car Without A Body: 1953 Corvette Cutaway You want to talk about cool Corvettes, this one is an engineering sample showcasing details for the newly-released Corvette from when GM’s huge Motorama displays were happening. This is the lowest Corvette chassis number in existence, and when owner Ed Foss had it restored, a half-body was added to make it into a cutaway. Yes, it is a six-cylinder, but let’s be honest- who wouldn’t want to find this thing stashed away somewhere no matter what kind of cars you were into. And it drives, too.
Coolest Old School Racing Hero: Tom Tignanelli Some people will remember Tom Tignanelli’s Detroit-based “UFO” drag cars- mainly Funny Cars that ran in the modified division on gasoline. Collectors Clark and Collene Rand had Tom’s old 1965 altered wheelbase Plymouth on display following its fresh restoration, and Tignanelli himself also came to MCACN this year with a load of experimental parts like titanium torsion bars and stories about his work in Chrysler’s legendary “skunkworks” the Woodward Garage.
Nicest One-of-None Car: 1967 Hemi Belvedere 1 There are exceptions to every rule, and this 1967 Belvedere 1 with Hemi power certainly fits the bill. In 1967, the Hemi option for Plymouth was specifically noted to only be available in the GTX. However, it is documented that four were installed in the basic Belvedere 1 model for drag racers like Judy Lilly. This car, however, was not raced, and features 100% of its original paint, very original interior, and original Hemi driveline. Now owned by Frank Karabetsos, it was in the Vintage Certification program.
Best Collection Overall: First Gen F-bodies The choice was a given based on the 1967-1969 best-selling model. Selection was a challenge when you consider that while both the 1967-1969 Camaros and Firebirds are plentiful, choosing ones that will fit into a couple of rows of “the best” meant hard choices. In fact, most of the Z28s were in another area. So here is Bill Jenkins Indy Nationals-winning L78-powered Super Stocker, the Penske-Donohue Trans Am champion, Pete Estes’ one-off 1968 Z-28 convertible (shown), and a row of documented 427-CI supercars from Dana, Nickey, and Yenko. The Firebirds were highly-optioned Trans Ams and deluxe models, led off by Truman Fields’ notable NHRA record setter barely seen in the left foreground. The guitars were used as eye candy around several display areas.
Most Expensive Car not in Attendance A certain 1970 Hemi Challenger Convertible was drawing a lot of comments from people. This picture shows a 1970 Challenger R/T Hemi convertible whose asked-for number was a big $1,795,000. They were accepting trades for other cars, but we were fresh out of prewar Bugattis…
Coolest Show Car to drive for fun-1967 Camaro SS This car had the largest accumulation of trophies at this year’s event. It is all painted up nice and shiny in bright orange and has a chromed blower sticking through the hood like some ‘80s trailer queen. Well, this thing goes when Duane Waldrop hits the loud pedal on this car, as seen by his handout. The car runs on E85, sort of like an alcohol funny car.
Best Musclecar Equalizer Event: The Pure Stock Drags This trio of monsters is part of the action when the Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race happens in Michigan each summer, and they all look the part of stock street vehicles. Seen here are Steve Hodges’ 1970 4-4-2, Dan Kruger’s 1968 Hemi Charger, and Dave Hemker’s 1970 Buick Stage 1.
Biggest Muscle Wagon: 1964 Impala 409 Under restoration by Keith Curry is this 1964 Impala station wagon. While you can hot-rod these things, nothing extra is needed when it first came down the assembly line with a 425-HP 409 dual-quad engine and factory four speed driveline. Most of these things got crushed, so we are looking forward to seeing this one when its finished.
Best E-Body Shaker: The Swiss Connection The Wellborn Musclecar Museum sponsored this display of Shaker Mopars, and this restored 1971 Challenger was making its first public appearance in the USA. Ordered new by a woman from Switzerland, this is a heavily-optioned 1971 Hemi / four-speed, with a formal rear window, spoilers, and colored rubber bumpers. Despite all this, the car ended up being road raced in Europe with a front air dam and wide wheel flares. So if you think running the Matterhorn on a Ducati would be a handful, trying this with a nose-heavy Hemi machine required skill and a little madness.
Coolest team effort: Ford Drag Team display Organized by noted collector Bob Perkins, this was likely the largest group of cars from the original Ford Drag Team assembled since 1971, and certainly the largest in a show arena. Two 427 SOHC Pro Stock Mustangs, two Cobra Jets Mustangs , the rare 428 Torino that debuted and is seen here, a “Going Thing” promotional Mustang, and a tribute Torino plus Bob’s well-known glass house trailer full of rare memorabilia. Perkins is second from right here, and Torino owner Dave Steine is seen at the left.
Coolest Mustang: Shelby GT500 Paxton Supercharged Kevin and Winona Suydam had two very impressive cars to unveil, a 1968 “drag package” Yenko Camaro and this beast that most people never knew existed, the 1969 GT500KR experimental test car equipped with a Paxton supercharger. Though a handful was built in the GT350 racing era, this one bolted atop a 428 is incredible, and the paint is a legitimate special-order color. Kevin stands with the screaming yellow zonker after the unveiling cover came off on Saturday morning.
Coolest Nifty Fifties Car: 1958 Packard More supercharged cars were in the Studebaker invitational this year, following up on the blown Larks from 2016 with a group of late 1950s speedsters. One car that really drew attention was this very rare 1958 Packard Hawk, which came from the Studebaker factory that year with a McCulloch supercharger. If you are not familiar with this design, which featured EXTERIOR leather armrests, don’t feel bad; only about 900 were built. This was the last year to ever see the legendary Packard nameplate.
Coolest Mod Wife: Sharon Jones We sort of did this for fun, as a number of the ladies dress up in ‘60s fashions for the event. Sharon and her husband Ron had their deluxe 1969 Coronet 500 in the South Oak Dodge display. This car had been dragged out of a hometown field in rough shape and Ron constructed it as an OEM-looking rebuild for her, adding a Mercedes electric sunroof and a Hurst four-speed shifter through the console to the automatic trans. With a nod to hipster fashion, Sharon dressed up as part of the 1969 advertising campaign, which was likely approved by Dodge Sales VP “Crusher” Bob McCurry and his he-man crew over lunch-time martinis in late 1968. We were digging it…
Coolest Corvette for a Car Craft guy: 1965 L88 experimental This being the Muscle Car & CORVETTE Nationals, there are always exceptional ‘Vettes on display, and this was one or our favorites. Looking suspiciously like a body in white rarecar project, we learned it was just that, and for none other than legendary developer Zora Arkus-Duntov. He used this car to test big-block racing packages, including the very-first L72 427 and L88 427 extreme racing development. It had a string of first-ever notations a mile long, and was modified regularly between 1965 to 1967 when the so-called C2 Stingray models went out of production.
Best-known Celebrity Musclecar Enthusiast: Jason Line 1970 Buick GS Most people know Jason Line from the NHRA Pro Stock class, but not so many know that he has a wheels-up 1970 Buick GS he runs in Stock Eliminator. A while back, he bought a rough-but-rare real 1970 GS Stage 1 convertible and chose this event to debut it to the public after a lengthy restoration. He is seen toward the back of the group here with a big crew of his restoration guys and their better halves. Why Buicks? We know Line understands power-to-weight ratios, and 455-CI Buicks had the lightest long-blocks coming out of the OEMs in the era. That they are timeless in style doesn’t hurt, either.
Coolest AMC: 1969 Scrambler by MASCAR  The crew from Costa Mesa states they have had some unhappy Kenosha campers as word on this project came out – a real Scrambler converted seriously enough to clock 8.50 specs. Truth be told, what remained of the original car likely needed to be rebodied; it was cut on that badly. So they built a hot 401 engine, lifted the scoop a couple inches, blended the Group 1 and Group 2 paint schemes (you know what that is about, AMC dudes) in metallic paint, and bolted on a deck wing to prevent flight at 160+ MPH. The result was a head-turner even in a sea of the rarest musclecars on planet earth.
Most Valuable Available Racecar: 1965 Landy’s Dodge Mecum’s big area has been used to showcase cars for their upcoming events, especially their season opener in Kissimmee, Florida. The racecars collected by Nick Smith will be a highlight there next January, and for the first time, the restored Landy’s Dodge will be offered in public. The king of the 1965 “funny cars,” Dick Landy wheel-stood this Dodge to infamy, and this is the best survivor of the Chrysler program. Oh, you’re a Chevy guy? How about the 1963 Z11 Impala of Frank Sanders, the most original of those cars, and Fords, which were Smith’s personal favorites, will include not one but two original Gas Ronda Mustangs!
Best Survivor Oldsmobile: 1971 Cutlass Dave Belk is a pretty experienced car collector who got wind of a 1971 Olds Cutlass Supreme convertible owned by a woman 20 miles from his Iowa home base. The well-optioned car turned out to be everything hoped for, the equivalent of a 4-4-2 in classy trim with a 350/four-speed/Anti-Spin-type rear end, and less than 40,000 original miles. Carefully cared for since day one by Lonna Rea and her late husband, this silver beauty had single-family ownership until 2017. It is never modified, a cruiser not a bruiser, from the waning days of Dr. Olds performance medicine show. So Belk chose to bring it up to MCACN for Vintage Certification, where specialty judging found it scoring a Legend rating at a very high 92.5% originality.
Best Restored Oldsmobile: 1970 4-4-2 Oldsmobile This was a hard choice, as there were a lot of them here. The Olds we chose was just redone by Magnum Auto for Jeff and Joanna Stolowski, a 1971 tri-color (blue, black top, white interior) convertible with 445 cubes of W-30 under the hood and many options. Its emotional unveiling for original owner Kathy Maddison, who had owned the car with her late husband Keith from new until 2015, was a highlight for the crowd who was on hand as the restored car was revealed to the public for the first time.
Best Oddball Barn Find: Early Logghe Streamliner We will admit, we are always blown away by the stuff that shows up in Ryan Brutt’s Barn Finds and Rare Gems display. There were very cool cars in 2017, like COPO Chevys with documentation, vintage muscle trucks and even an old funny car, but one car that took everybody by surprise was this 1959-era Logghe Stamping Company streamliner. According to research still being conducted into this car’s origins, it was one of only two sports-car chassis built by the brothers for a possible road race effort that were instead pressed into drag strip duty. This may have been because Detroit Dragway was host to the NHRA Nationals in 1959 and 1960. Of course, Logghe later helped Mercury ignite the funny car revolution. Saved from a Motor City-area junkyard, Dragrace Relics LLC, owned by Clark and Collene Rand, will direct its eventual restoration.
Best Oddball Cruiser: 1967 Boss Bird Randy Birchfield built and displayed this 1967 Thunderbird, which obviously has had some upgrades. The engine is a Cobra Jet-type 428, complete with Shaker scoop. The car uses a C6 automatic, features a deck wing, and has flawless “highway star” deep purple paint. The clean execution includes custom Boss Bird lettering. Not something you see every day…
And Best Car of the Event (in you author’s opinion): 1970 RT/SE Hemi Challenger It started with that super-cool Gator-Grain roof and survivor appearance. This Challenger R/T SE with its 426 Hemi engine, four-speed transmission and 4.10 Dana rear is pretty cool, and it was highly optioned. But I needed a story, and this car had it. Original owner, the late Godfrey Qualls, was in the 82nd Airborne and bought this car after a tour of duty for Uncle Sam. He later served the city of Detroit Police as a police officer for 37 years. He ordered the N96 Shaker, and was not happy when his custom $5,272.00 factory build showed up at the dealership without it, and was further told he could not get one on a Dodge, period. So he sued the company and eventually won, getting the parts from Chrysler for the conversion. As you can see, he never put that design on. When off-duty, Officer Qualls established a noteworthy reputation as the baddest Hemi car on the east side of Detroit, parking it during the mid-1970s gasoline crisis. His son Greg and their family brought to MCACN after Bob Ashton, a native of the area, found out this ghost still existed in solid unrestored shape, with dealership plastic seat covers intact and every piece of imaginable factory paperwork. There were a sea of Shaker cars in pristine shape at this year’s event, and a lot of other very worthy cars, but a cop from Detroit with a Street Hemi whose reputation echoed to Woodward and a car that still exists today, unrestored and with his family? Yep, that’s MCACN…
Next year’s dates – November 17-18, 2018
The post Car Craft’s Top 25 Picks From the 2017 Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals appeared first on Hot Rod Network.
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sims-half-crazy · 2 years
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November 19, 1886
Auntie Nan,
Mary said I need to improve my letter writing skills and that since you were family then you wouldn't judge me to harshly. I know that this isn't going to be true, seeing as how you're a teacher, but here I am writing to you any way. I do miss having the family around. It's been so different with everyone dying. It's quiet and awful. I miss the boisteriousness of everyone being at home and going about their daily lives.
Jane got married to Arthur - sorry, Mr. Lewis. Mary says I mustn't call him by his given name as I'm not properly acquainted with him. He married our sister, how much more acquainted do we need to be? She's excited about living in town. I'm excited for her to live in town as well, she's not a fun person to reside with. She can be a very difficult person, if you've forgotten what she is like. Mary has told me that I should strive to not be as plain spoken. I disagree with her, why can't one say what one needs with the minimal amount of words?
I do hope to hear from you soon.
Your niece,
Virginia
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sims-half-crazy · 2 years
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May 16, 1881
Our garden is beginning to look like a barren patch of dirt. Thom has tried using different types of fish, dirt, loam, cow dung, rabbit dung to help the plants grow but still nothing is surviving. The upside to him not spending as much time in the field is that he's returned to woodworking more and he's creating even more beautiful furniture now.
The children are all enjoying their studies at the new school. They've just returned to session any my is the house quiet during the day! Julia and I get so much done! Well she does most of the work. I've not been feeling like myself lately. I tire easy and my stomach is almost always at odds with me. I don't know what's going on, but I am not calling the doctor. This will pass as have all the other illnesses.
Virginia has really come around in her chores and how helpful she can be. For a while, I was worried that she was going to spend her entire childhood in the chair by the oven. That's where I usually send the children when they need to get out of my hair and think on what they've done. She has spent more time in that chair than I think all the other children combined. It must be because she's the youngest. Everyone tells her what to do and she doesn't get to have a say in much. I gave her the task of caring for the chickens. She's 9 now and can handle that. The look of joy when she comes in from caring for them warms my heart. I'm so glad she's finding her place.
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sims-half-crazy · 2 years
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October 10, 1879
Stetson has officially become Julia's beau. Thomas was less than pleased that he spied them over near the pond under one of the big old pine trees, but I reminded him that we were once young and head over heels in love. He scoffed at me, of course, but he knows I'm right.
I suppose that when Stetson comes of age we'll be planning a wedding. He's from a good family and comes from a town in Louisiana. Havre de something he said it was called. He'll inherit the land. He's got two older sisters and he doesn't remember his father. His father was killed in the war. He's up here learning about planting and being a landowner from his mother's family. We're glad that he is, he's been quite helpful to Thom when he needs it.
I'm excited for my girl, but at the same time I'm going to miss her so.
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sims-half-crazy · 2 years
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June 19, 1886
Dearest Aunt,
My heart was lifted with joy at the news of Marcella's marriage to Mr. Nixon Boyer. I know that your conscience must be eased to know that all your girls will be taken care of and provided for after you're gone. Not that I want or wish you gone, but it is the way of things. Julia has been keeping us abreast of all the goings on with the family. It such a delight that she and Adalyn live so close to one another, and now to have Marcella live in the same town as them! I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm a bit jealous of how lucky all of them are to be so close. Will you continue to reside in England? Your whole family has now moved back but you must be so dedicated to your students. They are lucky indeed.
Jane is engaged to dear, sweet, silly, Mr. Lewis. They make quite the pair, but Jane is as happy as I've ever seen her. The nuptials are planned for November. She's waiting until after the harvest to come in, but honestly I don't know that there's going to be much of one. Our garden is a desolate looking thing right now.
Your devoted niece,
Mary
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sims-half-crazy · 2 years
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November 3, 1885
My Darling Julia,
I hope the harvest went well. Ours was middling. Thomas is eager to begin his life anew, but he's still got a couple of years. He is set on moving away. The railroad is advertising jobs all over the country, and I think the promise of a new place to land is really enticing to him. He's doing what needs to be done here, but you can tell he's only going through the motions.
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Thank you for the lovely gift for my birthday. Being 18 now seems odd with both Mother and Father gone. I shared my celebrations with Virginia as her birthday was all but forgotten in the tumoil of Father's passing. I do believe she was thankful for my intention. She seemed happier than she has been of late. I took her to town for some ices and while we were there we saw Cousin Jenifer! She's back at their old homestead with her new husband, Mr. Jack Marston. I believe she said his family was from up north, a coastal town of some such. She met him on her voyage back to the States. I gather that after Adalyn married Mr. Wilkes, things between Jenifer and Nan eroded to the point that Nan told her to come back to us! Thankfully for us, she found this Mr. Marston when she docked stateside. I don't know if Aunt Nan even knows she has a new son-in-law, but I'm sure that Adalyn must've informed her. This has all bee a months long affair of fodder for the gossip mill here. There's even talk from some of the older women that Jenifer isn't really even married to this Mr. Marston and they're living in sin while he takes advantage of her. I don't put much stock into this talk as I've seen the two of them together and they seem like a matched pair. He's just as hard and piercing as she is, it's like watching two rocks fall against each other and then land side by side. I should not like a marriage like that. I should want one like Mother and Father had.
We need to find Jane a husband so that she may leave us in peace. She's a shrew, plain and simple. Her mood swings have gotten worse and she's taken to talking to the plants! She has whole conversations with them. What's worse is she gets along better with them than she does her kin! Thomas mentioned that a new teacher was in the area, a Mr. Arthur Lewis. I told him that maybe we should do a bit of matchmaking as Thomas also informed me that he's an odd duck. He is constantly reading and in various states of daydreaming. I said to Thomas that it sounds like it could be a match if their imaginary worlds were to align. Thomas was not as keen on this idea as he should've been, but I do believe I have a new determination.
Your beloved sister,
Mary
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sims-half-crazy · 2 years
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An odd wind blew through the countryside that latter half of March. It kept promising warm days, but brought frigid nights. His children had warned him that such weather wasn't good for his constitution, but Thom hadn't listened. His work at the Post Office had been a source of pride for Sarah so to quit felt like he was in some way letting her down. It was ridiculous, he knew, but his work away from the house also helped soothe his soul. He missed his wife. He missed the calm authority she held over the house. These were his last thoughts as he rode his favorite mount to town.
Thom collapsed on his morning ride, and was found by his good friend, Patrick McKinnon. Patrick had been the one to let Thom Jr, Thomas as he liked to be called now. The boy was going to be 16 by year's end. He was going to have to be a man now. He had sisters to look out for. Patrick shook his head in sorrow. This was not a burden that a young man needed so early in life.
The gathering for Thom was modest, but Adalyn and her husband made the trek along with Julia and her family. Patrick was there as well. They cried tears of sorrow and relief. Sorrow for the man that they had called Father and friend, but relief that he was no longer suffering and with his beloved, Sarah.
Thomas Garland Waldrop lived to be almost 51 years of age, and in his lifetime he mastered gardening, handiness, and fitness. He acheived the curator trait by collecting every frog he could.
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sims-half-crazy · 2 years
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October 30, 1884
My dearest brother,
I hope that this letter finds you in good health and spirits. I've heard news of your declining health and I'm sorry for it. It's the way of old age, is it not? Youth really is wasted on the young. Some days I yearn for years ago when you and Sarah were but a short ride away, and other days I'm very fulfilled with my work at the school. I miss Sarah. Especially around this time. I miss you, as well, but you're still here to answer my letters. Which you had better do.
Adalyn has settled into her new life in Havre de Grace. She's practically neighbors with Julia Ann. I think she lives just on the other side of the river. I've enclosed a photograph of her and her husband, Mr. Matthew Wilkes. She and Mr. Wilkes had several of these taken before they left. I miss her terribly. My other two daughters are not as good company as Adalyn was. Jenifer is still as mean and spiteful as ever, but my poor Marcella - she gets the worst of it, because people confuse her for Jenifer which makes her quiet and withdrawn.
Your loving and devoted sister,
Nan
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sims-half-crazy · 2 years
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March 8, 1884
My favorite and only Aunt Nan,
I hope that things continue to thrive at school for you. I know that your students are better for having you as a teacher. You were quite engaging and clever when you would help Mother with our lessons. I have taken up the written word as well. I should elaborate, I've found one of Father's notebooks and he's allowed me to take it to jot down my ideas and short stories. I don't know that anything will come of my passion for writing, but the act of putting pen to paper puts me at ease.
I was sorry to hear of Mr. Bell's passing some months ago. When Julia visited us over Thanksgiving she gave us the news of your loss. Are you still managing the mill or is your work at the school enough? I don't mean to be indelicate, but are you planning on staying in England now that you're a widow again?
Your letter at Christmastime was delightful and really brightened Father's spirits. We were all so glad to hear of Adalyn's happy news! Engaged to a Wilkes boy, that's so exciting. How did they even meet? Julia was telling us about the Wilkes family during her visit, and how prominent they are in Havre de Grace. She said they're an old and established family in that area. Mr. Wilkes must've been on holiday or some such to have been in England. What a fortunate thing that Adalyn will be coming back to the States and live so close to Julia! I am sure Julia will be ecstatic to have family so close to her.
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Jane has just turned 18 and in her honor, Father took all of us shopping for some new frocks. Jane was a little put out that we all got something, but Father told her to mind herself. I'm pretty sure he mumbled something about being excited for her to find a man and leave him in peace. She's gotten to be quite the termagant of late. One moment she's completely pleasant, but in the next moment she's railing at us for some slight she's probably imagined. It's quite volatile here sometimes.
Your devoted neice,
Mary
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sims-half-crazy · 2 years
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November 20, 1883
My dearest Stet,
I'm sorry to be missing our first Thanksgiving together, but my father is out of sorts as we were informed. I don't know that he's as bad as Jane made out, and perhaps I didn't need to make this trip but I am glad to see all of my sisters and Thom Jr. again. In the week I've been here, I've seen glimpses of the episodes that the sisters have mentioned but their severity is more along the lines of what Mary described in her letters.
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I hope that the end of the harvest went as you hoped. I miss you so! Sleeping in a bed with Jane is not nearly as nice as sleeping next to you, my love. I think I shall leave in a fortnight and with luck be home well in time for Christmas.
I hope that your sisters and mother are well. I am toying with an idea, but I wanted your input first - what would you think if Virgnia came to live with us for a spell? The child is absolutely wild - not in manner or action but in how she carries herself. She does not care to affect any sort of manners or ladylike composure. I know that Mother's passing was hard on her, and I tried my best before we were wed, but apparently Jane and Mary have not continued as I advised them too. I am sure that we will discuss this further after I return home, but I don't want to delay. Father is not of stout enough health to think that he can care for her until she comes of age. She will need to learn composure and empathy if she hopes to find a husband who will care for her.
Your love and deeply devoted wife,
Julia Ann
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sims-half-crazy · 2 years
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August 5, 1883
Dearest Sister,
Are you certain you could not have taken me along with you? All of your siblings are driving me out of my mind. My only reprieve is slipping off to the spring and enjoying the peace and serenity there for a moment or two.
I'm sure the others have written to you about their concerns with Father. He's quite ill, I'm afraid. We had a time of it the other evening as he had wandered from the barn into the woods behind it. He got lost. LOST!? Can you imagine? Mary says he was confused but she's always twisting things to be not as they are. He was lost and didn't know where he was going or what he was about.
How are things with you? The town of Havre de Grace sounds lovely, but the area you've described for the farm seems exactly the same as the farm you left. You could have stayed.
Your forlorn sister,
Jane M
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sims-half-crazy · 2 years
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May 2, 1883
I found Mother's diary. I showed Jane, Mary, and Virginia and we spent the entire afternoon reading it. She sure did write a lot, but it was nice to see her handwriting and hear her voice through those pages. I usually just use my notebook to write letters, but maybe Mother's idea of journaling her thoughts is something I can do too. I still like writing letters though.
Julia married Stetson last week and it was a nice gathering. Almost everyone from town showed up. Julia said she'd write me as she was leaving. I still don't have a letter from her. Jane said that I shouldn't expect one for at least a month!
Father is getting worse, but sisters and I are keeping up with the chores as best we can. Virginia still takes care of the chickens, and I've taken on more responosibility with cow. The garden is still infested with bugs and we're still losing plants, but I think its slowed. At least the pantry looks stocked.
I came upon Father in the barn the other day, which suprised me because he's been so weak of late, and he was working on some furniture. He told me to come near and he let me help him! He taught be some of the basics of woodworking. I really enjoyed it! He didn't get to teach me everything because he got tired and had to go rest, but I stayed out there and manage to make a block. I think I know why Father so enjoys working with wood. It was a very satisfying feeling.
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sims-half-crazy · 2 years
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Jan. 3, 1883 Boxwood Hill, Dartford
Auntie Nan,
I hope that you are doing well! I know I haven't written since before Mother passed, but I didn't know what to say. Julia told me that I should go back to writing you because Mother was so proud that I enjoyed writing letters to you and the cousins. I do hope that this letter lives up to it's predecessors.
I'm thirteen now and for my birthday Father got us a Benet phonograph! Father said it was for the entire family to enjoy, but Mary is a little upset because she thinks her piano skills aren't what Mother's were which is why Father got the phonograph. I told her that I think Father was just trying to cheer us all up with this new fangled horn.
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It's been a whole year since we lost Mother. I miss her, moreso since Father has developed a cough and has begun to tire easily. I fear that he's ill. Mother was ill before we lost her. She couldn't get rid of her fever. She had it for ages before she passed. I don't want to lose Father as well.
All the sisters are excited for Julia's wedding. It's a few months away now. I think it's silly, all the fuss they're putting up. Aren't they worried that we've got an infestation of bugs and the crops are still dying?! I am excited to have Stetson as family though. He's nice and easy to talk to. I'm sad that Julia will be moving to Havre de Grace though. Its further south, more'n a days ride. Maybe by train its a day away.
How are things there? Is England cold? What's the mill like? I have to get going. I need to do my chores.
Your favorite nephew,
Thom Jr.
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sims-half-crazy · 2 years
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July 30, 1882 Boxwood Hill, Dartford
Dearest Aunt,
I am writing to you in great excitement as Stetson has officially proposed. I know that we lost mother only but 6 months ago and I must stay in mourning cloth for another 6 months, but I am beyond happy that I am to be married! I know that it is to much to hope that you the girls come all the way back here but I do so wish you would!
How are Adalyn, Marcella, and Jenifer? Are they happy in their new home? Please pass along our good wishes to the entire family.
Your devoted niece,
Julia Ann
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sims-half-crazy · 2 years
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A dense fog blanketed the countryside while the town and farms slept. Inside the Waldrop house, Sarah crumpled to the floor as she made her way back to bed. The noise jarred Thom awake.
Seeming as if to age overnight, Thom gathered his wife into his arms but to no avail. The reaper had come and he would not be left wanting.
In the days that followed, the family buried Sarah at St. James'. People from all over brought food and paid their respects. Sarah had lived a life of service. Service to her family and to her community. She was known for her knitting skills, for she had donated multitudes of socks, scarves, and sweaters over the years. Her family had enjoyed years of her playing the piano, and she had taught her children some of those skills.
Sarah Mildred Waldrop (née Saunders) lived a total of 50 years and was devoted to her family and community.
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