Bonnie is Josh’s grandmother’s neighbor. She is one of the most inspirational people I’ve ever met.  She is a woman with great knowledge, encouragement and will.

She just turned 90 on December 17th. I asked Bonnie if she felt 90 and she said "Lord No, I can’t believe I’m already 90" So I asked her how old she felt and she said about 40!! That’s over half her age! I can only hope I have that problem. I’m 25 and sometimes I feel like I’m 50!

Bonnie can cook! She cooks old school with lard and such. I love getting recipes from older generations because not many people cook like that anymore. The problem with getting a recipe from  Bonnie is, almost everything is done by memory. So as she is spouting off how to make something you get "until it looks right" or "cook it until its done." I swear everything she cooks is 400 degrees until its done! That doesn’t work well with someone who is still learning the tricks to cooking. I made a batch of yeast rolls that looked like snot!

Bonnie can garden! This woman can put a stick in the ground and it will grow. Every time we go up there she gives me a new plant. So far, everything she’s given me has taken.  Yet again, getting plants has its variables. When she gives me a new plant, I ask how I should care for it.  I get "Sun or shade, it don’t matter. If it doesn’t like one, move it to the other."  How often do you water it? "When it needs it." Here we go again   Paul James the Gardener Guy has nothing on her. She had tomatoes last year by Memorial Day, not 4th of July like most people.

She has the best spirit! Last winter, we were up in East TN visiting and she was getting some plants for us. She took the hoe from Josh because he wasn’t doing it right.  Josh’s grandmother started complaining about her back hurting and that she couldn’t do anything like that. Bonnie’s response was " My back hurt when I got up this morning to, but you can’t let that stop you. Things have got to get done. "

I think part of why Bonnie has lived as long as she has and is in a good a shape as she’s in is because she keeps things simple.  We tend to complicate things by worrying about things we can’t help, making up schedules and not be willing to adjust to life. If you aren’t happy where you are in your life right now, change it. No since in complaining about it, things have got to get done.  Ben Stein made a good point the other day when he was talking about our government.  All of these politicians are promising their voters they will make their life better. This is a lie. No one can make your life better  is you. The best thing you can do for this country is work, save your money and teach your children.

Bonnie is a woman of substance. I hope one day someone will say that about me.