Trip to Iowa

A wonderful Trip to Iowa to see my Cousin.

For the first anniversary of John's Death and my 66 birthday, I went to Iowa to stay with my cousin Bob Charleston and his wife Lucy. They took me several wonderful places. We went most every day. I was very thankful that I was with them during this time.

The Ice Cream Capital of the World, is LaMars, Iowa where Blue Bunny Ice Cream is made. The tradition is one of the banks gives away free ice cream to its customers and also has a band, playing big band era songs. The ice cream was so good and the music was fantastic. There was also a singer. So enjoyable.




Lucy and I listening to the Band. Good Music!








Bob eating Ice Cream











Lucy eating Ice Cream





In the evening we went to a local play at the Lamb Theatre, Sioux City, Iowa. "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat" was something to see. The players and children were so good, you almost felt like you were on Broadway. It is remarkable what Amateurs can do. I so enjoyed it and if you ever get a chance to see this play, whether professionals or armatures, please do so.

We also went to Palmer's Candy Factory, where Palmer's candies are made. They also had sugar free candy, so I got a few pieces to try. It is good. Of course some of it is sugar free.

On Sunday June 21st. and June 28th, we went to church at Hope Lutheran Church. It is a small congregation, but growing. I thoroughly enjoyed worshiping with this congregation


On Sunday Evening we went to a band concert at Grandview Park in Sioux City, Iowa. The band played in the Grandview Park Band Shell. Here are some pictures.

This is the place the band played. There are seats like church pews; and also some bring their lawn chairs or blankets. It was so cute to see the young children (3-12) running around. They didn't make a disturbance, just was there.



Bob and Lucy enjoying the concert. Some of the songs played are
Symphony No. 6 Third Movement, Finale
When you Wish upon a Star
Dances of the Witches From The Witches of Eastwick
America The Beautiful

There was always a sing-a-long and Everyone stood and sang
The Star Spangled Banner

Trip to the Beach

Every year in October we went to Myrtle Beach, we have a timeshare and our week was always October after the biker weeks were done. Last year was no exception, I went to the beach, sit on the balcony, read and watched the waves come into the shore.

This year I will also go. It is lonely than before, but peaceful and sometimes I need the peace. Here are some pictures I took last year.


Isn't this sunrise beautiful!

Grand Chapter June 6 -10

Grand Chapter of North Carolina, Order of the Eastern Star

This year for the first time in quite a while I went to North Carolina Eastern Star Grand Chapter. I had a good time and I think everyone there did too. It was good to be back. We had been out of the State for about 11 years. We knew we would retire in NC and I would be able to start participating again. I felt at home. Even though some of my friends are gone now, it was still good to go.WGM, Frieda Nettles and WGP,John Masson at the Bunny Trail Travel Club Banquet. Frieda and John exemplify the teachings of our Order. We had such fun with them this year.


Elizabeth Unger, Grand Organist 2009 - 2010

Elizabeth's music is so beautiful, I listen in awe when she plays.
She is very much a good and beautiful person. I am proud to call her my friend.








Donna Yates, Associate Grand Conductress. I just met Donna this year and she is a wonderful addition to our Grand Family. I know she will be a blessing in our Order.






Debbie and Jerry Keck, Debbie is an Eastern Star Sister. She has a heart of Gold and her work is most beautiful. It is the most perfect that I have seen. She is Worthy Matron, this year for Magnolia Chapter 26. I am glad to call her friend.

Geraldine Moore after being installed as New President of the Secretary/Treasurer Association. Geraldine is the secretary in our Chapter and I am also proud to call her friend. She has helped me greatly after John passed away and I love her for that. I am traveling with her this year as she goes to the Secretary/Treasurer Schools.



Linda Boner, Associate Grand Matron and newly elected
Steve Burgesses Associate Grand Patron. I do not know them very well, but I know they will be good as the head of our Order next year. A year of good fortune, I'm wishing for you. I know that there is a lot of work to be done by these two this year and I have the faith that when it is their time, it will be a year filled with friendship, and love.






Some of My Easter Star Sisters
Minnie Woods, LaThora Slaza, and Geraldine Moore during one of
our meetings at Grand Chapter.






Some of the people at the Secretary/Treasurer's Breakfast

This doily was made by Grace Rae's mother. I just thought it was so beautiful, I had to take a picture of it. Grace Rae is the Past Grand Matron, 2002-2003, from Carthage Chapter 154. She is a beautiful lady inside and out and her husband Jud is also. They have graciously opened their arms and took me into their lives. I am proud to have them as some of my dearest friends.

I belong to the Order of the Eastern Star and know that its teachings are the very pillars of aesthetics and morals, the very music of God's religion and therefore would pass on to you His word. For I know that in an age and day like this, when the foundations of society are trembling, when it has been said that another twenty-five years will tell whether this world will be Christian or communistic, I know that you and I can transform society if we will "live the poetry we sing," if we will live up to the sublime and beautiful principles of this great and Christian Order.

This author is unknown, but I so like the words and even tho they were put to paper years ago, they are still pertinent for today.

Easter Star 15th District Picnic

In May of 2009, our 15th District had a picnic at Carthage, NC. We also had a beautiful weding.

"A Mason takes a Wife" I have put some of those pictures here. Enjoy.

The Congregation at the wedding

The Bride's Maid Debbie




The Bride and Groom






The Mother-in Law

Snow in Pinehurst

Believe it or not we had snow in Pinehurst, NC in February 2009. When I got back from Oregon, which by the way, I flew in and there was about 2 feet of snow, I thought "Oh, I am going back to Sunny North Carolina", NOT! Usually when it snows it is gone by 10AM, looking at the pictures of my back yard, you can see it was not gone by 10AM that day.

Easter in Florida

For Easter this year I took a trip to see my cousin Charlene in Florida. She took me around by the beaches and even though I only stayed 4 days, I had a good time. We ate Easter dinner out at the Golden Corral . There is some beautiful country there. Even tho I had my camera with me, I forgot to take any scenery pictures. Oh well, I am sure I'll be going again sometime.

But I did take a picture of my cousin Charlene. She looks the same to me as when we were growing up. She is three years older than I and I used to follow her all around when she came to the farm to visit. This was in Crawford County, Ohio. (Bucyrus)

Thanksgiving in Ohio with my family

Thanksgiving was a busy day for me. I went to Sandusky to pick up my Aunt Ruth and then we did a tour of Erie County. First we went to her son's Michael house and his family. We ate there and there was so much food and boy was it good. It was no wonder I gained 50 pounds between the time John died and March of 2009. I didn't have any "won't" power, but plenty of "Will"powers. I will eat this and I will eat that. You know what I mean??

Aunt Ruth, Kelly, Michael and Mickey's Daughter and her husband.

Michael eating in his house, I have a picture of Mickey, but I'm afraid she'd skin me if I posted it.

Then Aunt Ruth and I went to her sons Randy and his wife Jane's house. While there I got to see Julianna's new baby daughter and meet her husband. Also saw twin Jimmy and his girl Hanna. They are engaged to be married.

Proud Grandparents, holding Baby Lily, Randy and Jane, Julianna in back ground

Jimmy and Hanna
Jimmy and Julianna are twins.

Aunt Ruth At Randy's house talking to one of my boys on the phone.

Thanksgiving in with John's Family

Empty table waiting for people

Last November 2008, I spent Thanksgiving in Ohio with my sister-in-law. Really she is more like a sister to me. I trust her judgement and call her for some advice. She is much like her brother, and will give me two sides to listen to. She has the family on the Sunday before Thanksgiving.

It was my first Thanksgiving and I really didn't want to be alone at the house without John. Everything was too new for me yet. So with his family around me I celebrated Thanksgiving. It was so comforting to be there and feel the love everyone had for each other. I am so blessed.

This is a full table with John's family. We also had one in the Kitchen with an overflow. I must post this also as John's Mom, Betty is sitting at this table.

There was so much food. We are truly blessed in America when we get together for Holidays.









John's Mom, Betty, his nephew Tom and a friend.











This next picture is of his sister Jeanette on the phone. I sneaked this one in. She has five children, well they are all grown with families of their own now. Three were home and two couldn't make it. But I think this is a call from one of them.

There was plenty of food and it was all good. I stayed almost two weeks, but I was afraid the snow would keep me there so I came back to good old NC.

John and Kathy

Christmas 2008, I spent with our son and his wife Kathy. Three weeks is a long time for anyone to visit, but they put up with me. Imagine that!! We went to a play called "Christmas in Tuna". It was so funny and we all had a good time. Most of the time we spent playing games on the computer, except John Michael who had to work.

John and Kathy have a Wii Fit and this is where I started my exercising. The WII is fun to exercise with, maybe because it is cartoons and I'm a child at heart. LOL Here are some pictures from Oregon and Christmas 2008.

John and Kathy after having taken care of me for 2 1/1 weeks. lol

A Memorial to John

John S Raykowski, my husband of 45 years passed away June 25, 2008. In my eyes he was a man of truthfulness. In fact once he had to take a psychological test and the instructor told him,"You are the most honest Man I've ever tested." How's that for a testimony!! John read a great deal and also had a good command of the English language. His wit was something I've always been proud of.

John served in the Army from 1950 to 1962 and in the Navy from 1962 to 1968. He loved the service, but because being in the Navy meant being away from his family he didn't re-enlist the last time served. Looking backward that was a mistake on my part. I know that John loved me dearly and I loved him the same.

We have two boys, Jim and John Michael. John is so proud of them and their accomplishments. Sometimes I would think no one else had sons who accomplished anything compared to his. As they grew up we moved so John would have work. Sometimes I say, we are from the United States as we have lived or been through about 30 of our great fifty states.

Besides our two boys, John's nephews were always welcome at our house. Tom and Don came often. After the move to Pinehurst, Don, his wife Sandy, their grandson Jacob, and of course Junior Dog came a few week-ends a year to play golf with John. He greatly enjoyed the Comradely of his nephews, especially since the boys were both on the west coast. We loved having them visit. They are still welcome.

In our life times, we usually only find one soul mate, I believe that John was mine. I don't know how, but sometimes he knew what I was thinking before I said it. I am sure others had that experience. We were hoping for 100 years together so someone would give a name and color to the 100th anniversary. At least when we first got married in 1962, we thought that way.

John has been my husband, my best friend, my sounding board and my lover. I will miss him greatly, but I know that life goes on and I am trying to adjust to a life without him. It isn't easy and I know I'll make mistakes, but hopefully they won't be too many. Right now it is hard to let people into my life. I am afraid of being taken advantage of, of not making the right decisions and I know this will pass and my confidence will return.

John was a one of a kind person and I feel privileged to have him in my life. We got married young 19 and 21 and grew up together. He taught me a lot and I hope I can remember what he taught me. He was a good friend to people whom he let into his life. His trust was not easy to give and those who had this trust were fortunate. His heart beat true. Our life together had ups and downs as every marriage does, but mostly ups. I enjoyed the moving we did as this was a learning experience for our family. We learned that no matter where you live in our great country, we all want to have peace and joy in our lives. People are the same, if we think about how we feel, we can know how others feel. We as humans seem to need to be in control, once that control feeling is let go, we can realize that things that count in our lives is God and family. Once we realize that our lives can be so much easier. Life is too short to argue about what is better. Working together is much more fun.


John dearly loved to play golf, so when he found out he had cancer, he retired in 2005 and moved to Pinehurst, North Carolina. For three years he played about three to four times a week. That last year not so much. In 2006 I retired and our son sent us on a cruise to the Caribbean. We had always wanted to go on a cruise. It was a good time in our lives. We had a wonderful time. The picture at the top is from that cruise.

Christmas 2007 both boys came home and I think I knew this would be our last Christmas together. John was beginning to wane, starting in April of 2008, we called in Hospice and he quietly lived his life. On June 25, 2008 he died, I think he was waiting for me to wake up that morning. The family was here and I slept on the couch that night. I awoke at about 7AM went to his bed, there was a tear in his eye and he was so very hot. I gave him a good morning kiss and I remember stroking his forehead, saying to him, "Darling, you know the Doctor told you that you would know when it was time to leave, the family is here and I'll be taken care of, if you must go it is OK." He took one more breath and was gone. Passing peacefully was good. I didn't want him to suffer any more.

While living, he built a great deck about 20x16 and we enjoyed it so very much. We were blessed with great neighbors and from time to time they joined us on the deck and we would have a drink and great conversation. We are known as the "Overpeck Gang", because we all live on Overpeck Lane. John truly loved having them here. I wish I had pictures of them to post also. They are so good to me and understand when I get weepy. I thank God for them.

I am now going into my second year of grieving in 2009 and I still miss him so very much. Some days I think his spirit is with me and will always be there. I know that our friends miss him too. John will always be a part of my life and also those he touched. He is at peace and I know with our heavenly father. Thank you Lord for all of your help during our life together.

This is a note of two years.
This is being written on June 18, 2010, I want everyone to know that death doesn't get any easier, it just fades and reality sets in. Today is such a very bad day for me as the 2 year anniversary is coming and I am really having such a bad time with it. Last year I went away and visited and this year I decided to stay home and it is hitting me so hard. Maybe I should have let it hit last year, but I think looking back I was correct. I can handle this much better. Next Friday I will go to the cemetery and chat a while to his old body as I know his soul is in heaven with my Father. (Heavenly Father) I am really alone today and feel that way, but I know that this too shall pass and life will go on. God's blessings to all who read this blog. It has been my way of grieving and getting better.