The Grubbster----Half a Century

Lee King Howard Jr. , better known as Grubb
50 years of age....February 15, 2007

Here he is at the Bass Pro Shop, his idea of the ultimate in shopping.

Grubb and Sandy in San Francisco


Grubb and his son Lee K. Howard III

Grubb-50, Lee K. soon to be 25

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Grubb and Meredith, his daughter








Grubb, Lee K. III, L. K. Sr., and Heath

Grubb and his twin brother, David, same mother different fathers(their joke). Grubb and his "other brother" Larry.

Grubb the horse trainer, well he really just wants his turn on the horse. Grubb loves having fun.

Grubb the avid flyer, more frequent flyer miles than anyone! (not)

Do you guys know the people he is posing with??? Neither does he but this is a common thing for him to do... pose with strangers.

What do you say about Grubb. We all know he doesn't want to be in the air, under the ground, in the water, he basically wants his feet on the ground. That is what he likes, feet on the ground surrounded by those he loves.

If their is a joke to be told, a prank to be played, a commotion to be made, he is "it".

He is the lover of the three "F"'s ; family, friends, and food. (maybe not in that order)

He has moved as many or more pianos in this town than anyone, he loves pulling people out of the snow and mud, give him a microphone and he is in heaven, let him watch a rig in motion and he feels that he has arrived, say "dessert" and you have won his heart, he loves to talk about his friends at the rest home, and turn up the volume on Paul Harvey and he thinks you are truly a scholar, drive through the local car lots with him to see the latest models and he will talk to you about that for hours, so you see; he is a very diversified guy. I didn't say cultured, I said diversified.

Grubb shares his love with everyone from Majerle the yorkie, to his family, his friends, his former classmates, his friends at the rest home, just about everyone he meets, he forms a friendship instantly.

We became friends with an Air Force pilot and his wife years ago, Ben and Pam Knox. They were from Pittsburgh and they could not get over the fact that Grubb talked to everyone we met. Ben was convinced that Grubb knew absolutely every person in Clovis and the surrounding area. We went to Dallas with them one weekend and Grubb met someone he knew in the hotel and Ben was astonished. Ben often commented on "Grubb knows everyone".

Ben and Pam were stationed in Goldsboro, NC after leaving Clovis. They were in a laundry mat in Goldsboro before they were able to get into their new home and they started visiting with another couple in the laundry mat. They were discussing "nicknames". Ben said "I bet I know one you have never heard, it is Grubb". The lady said "is he from Clovis, NM". Pam told that Ben fell in the floor and started rolling around and said "OH, MY GOSH, they even know him in North Carolina." That is Grubb, he knows so many people.

Grubb, you have now made it to the "committe of 50" club.

Welcome and Happy Birthday.

Love you

Sandy

Hey...would you look into my world?

Today I wanted to write about a typical day at work. Because of HIPPA laws(privacy laws), the pictures I am posting are not actually my patients, but they resemble the people I see.

I spend the day typing reports, trying to make sure I am JCAHO compliant, Medicare compliant, and "every other governing body" compliant, making sure we are meeting our sales goals, checking the billing reports, and numerous other "paper pushing" activities. Every now and then I am cursed and blessed with driving a route to deliver to patients.

I have been out on the routes for the past three weeks(yes, I have hired someone and I am waiting on all the background information to be processed so he can take over this driving), and I have had the blessing to visit with our patients, meet new patients and cry.

Yes, I cry and cry on some days when I leave the patients home. Last Friday I jumped in the car and headed out to deliver a walker and come right back, "shouldn't be gone long" I told Kelly as I was running out the door. I never made it back to the office that afternoon. I arrived at the patients home out on a ranch 60 miles from Clovis.

I knocked on the door and the lady waved me in. There sat a lovely 90 year old couple at their kitchen table. "won't you sit down and have a piece of banana bread with us?", "no thank you" I told them and then proceeded to lay the paperwork on the table and adjust the walker to the gentlemans height. As I was doing my "stuff", they started talking, what is your name, where are you from, how many children do you have, where do they live, do you have grandchildren...? Somewhere in the first five minutes of the dialogue, my "stuff" went by the wayside and I just sat back and started visiting.

We sliced the banana bread and I heard how they met, I learned that the 92 year old gentleman was born across the road from where we sat and that they had built their current home in 1950 and had raised their family there. The lady took me on a tour of their home and showed me all that they cherished. The reason I know this is what they "cherish" is because this is what she showed me. Pictures and pictures of their children, grandchildren, neighbors and friends, antiques left to them by their parents and their kids high school sports trophies.

Why did I cry? I cried when I left because God has blessed them with alert minds, I cried because they are concerned about finances, I cried because they want so much to be able to stay on the farm and not be forced to live in a home somewhere. I cried because they have had such a full life with many many happy memories and even some hurtful times which she told me about. I cried because she held up the orthopedic shoes she recently bought and she was so wishing they were "prettier", now that she has health issues she has to wear the ugly shoes.

They want to know when I am coming back. I don't know when I am coming back, I have so many many patients and so many reports to fill out and so much to do.... I wish I were going back tomorrow.

That isn't the case with all my patients, some can't see, some can't remember, some can't hardly breath, some can't walk at all. I see tired broken bodies, but I feel that many of them are saying..

"hey, would you look into my world"?

"Gross"man and his Bears vs. Manning and his Colts

We had a party with all in attendance rooting for the Colts, except Steve. Steve was cheering for the Bears. If it had been anyone else playing the Bears,(other than the Cowboys or the Eagles), I would have cheered for the Bears also. Steve, I posted a picture of the Gross-man quarterback on the page so you can see him again. I am sure if it had not been for the "rain", Grossman would have had a better chance at leading his Bears to victory. Steve you handled the loss well, that was admirable of you.

It was time for Peyton Manning to get the world of sports, off his back. Hopefully now, we will not hear anymore about Manning's quarterbacking abilities or lack of abilities. He has proved to the sports guys that he can do it. He IS the Super Bowl Quarterback. I am sure that the ESPN show where the four guys sit behind the desk and yell at each other, will still find something negative to say about Manning, but now the Sports Commentator will look foolish.

Manning is the first white quarterback to win the Super Bowl under the leadership of a "black" coach. (if they can talk color, so can I). Do you think he will be recognized for this accomplishment? It is definitely a "stat".

Honestly, the most important stat, that is the first time I have heard a winning coach, regardless of color, give so much praise, honor and glory to his heavenly Father. That was class. He said it all when he said "we did this with the Lords help and the Lords way". The fact that he can coach without profanity and he coaches with honor and dignity; now that is a stat to be remembered. His players will never ever question whether their coach is a Christian, he lives it daily.

What a fun game to watch and what a fun time we had with our friends.

Sandy

It was inevitable

Here he is at two or three, I don't remember the age, but I do recall, he has always loved microphones. He is probably singing a song from Sunday School or talking about some sporting event.

Lee K. Howard, our son the Sports Broadcaster. He now has his own sports blog and that can be found at http://sportsfactor.blogspot.com/. A link has been added to this blog for easy reference for his mom and dad.

Birthday, Birthday, Birthday, Birthday...

Our 1st four Birthdays of the month.

February 1st- David and Mike's Birthday.

"Golly Moses" which Birthday is this for you? Let's see Mike, last year you were 50? That would make you just a little over 50 this year. Here are two pictures that I found of you . The first being you and Debbie and your two youngest boys, Tanner and Trevor. Then we have a picture of you and Debbie this summer at Telluride in the "family diner". Mike is the coach, drivers education teacher, fly fisherman and "lotion man" of the Wrangler men.

God has blessed you with a wonderful wife, and three incredible sons. My first memories of Mike; you were "Coach Tixier", (pronounced too-shay for all of you who have no idea how to say this name). 7th grade basketball coach at Yucca. You were 39 that year and we had the privilege of helping you usher in the 40's. What fun we had with that little team but more importantly, a friendship began that has been such a blessing to us here in Clovis. You left Clovis to return to Albuquerque, your hometown, but you left many friendships and many memories right here in the streets of Clovis. Thank you for being a part of our Wrangler family.

Happy Birthday to you Mike.

David, the OSU graduate, (go Cowboys), the best Veterinarian in the world(says our Yorkie), best gardener and landscape man in town, husband of Debbie and father of Shannon and Ronnie and Brian, and the trail leader for the Wranglers.

The first picture shows David at his Alma Mater, OSU. Then we move on to the picture where he is saying "guys, I have found us a trail", that is a scary statement when David is making it. We move to three pictures of his "found" trails. Notice the huge snow on one side of us and the cliff on the other, that is when we were all praying that the snow would not melt. And then do you notice they bought him a plane??? David can never get enough of mobility , now he is flying his family privately and also for the Air National Guard.

David, we wish you the Happiest Birthday ever. Let's see this is 45, 46, 47, 48, 49.... Yep, it is the 49th, hope we remember next year to help you celebrate your 50th. Will you please remind us so we don't forget?

February 2nd, Ground Hog Day and Lenie's Birthday.

Ilene, or Lenie to most of us. You will be 39 on this Birthday, right? Maybe a little older, but you sure don't look it. Lenie is the wife of Steve (the blogger), and mother of Geoff and Tim and soon to be Mother in Law to Amy.

Lenie is a Boersma, a phenomena to the Clovis world; a Boersma. For those of you who do not know what a Boersma is; that means, "many and many more". If you are a Boersma, you are destined to become "many". Really, holding the Boersma name means strong Christian , Godly Dutch background. Lenie teaches teenage girls Sunday School, and often has them in her home for special occasions. She is so active at Central Baptist Church in various capacities. Lenie is also a buyer for Roden Smith gift shop here in Clovis. We love that store and Lenie is somewhat responsible for the items we love.

I posted two pictures of Lenie with her family and then the last two are Lenie, the wedding coordinator. What would we have done without you Lenie? She was so organized and between Lenie and her sister, Pam, Meredith's wedding went as planned. Trying to coordinate 10 bridesmaids and groomsmen, the father of the bride, the ushers, and remaining family through a rehearsal and wedding was quite an accomplishment. She did it! (that probably comes from being one of "many").

Lenie, Happy, Happy, Birthday.

February 5th is Debbie Tixier's Birthday. She is much younger than her husband; five days is "much" isn't it?

Happy Birthday Debbie

Debbie is the State Deca "Queen", at least she should be. She has been teaching DECA for 20 plus years and takes many students to contest because she is excellent at her job. This is what most of the world knows about her. We know her differently, she is an excellent wife, and mother of three boys, Tanner (and wife Amy), Tyler and Trevor. She is a wonderful friend, so thoughtful and always fun to be around.

I tried to find a picture of her this past summer in the mountains surrounding Telluride, cooking hotdogs for 20 on a tiny grill that we put on the back of one of the jeeps. Whenever we are cooking, cabin, house, mountain, etc... Debbie is always right there front and center making sure everyone is fed. She is a "master" scrapbooker. Her books of the three boys are incredible and the book she did for Mike's 50th birthday was remarkable. Maybe someday I can take scrapbook lessons from her, I would love that.



Debbie, I could not find one picture that I have taken of just you. I am posting one of you and Ellen, one of you, Mike and Grubb at that restaurant in Red River after we had been jeeping for 18 hours(well maybe 8, but it seemed like 18) and the last is you and Mike in the "HGTV Showcase Home"(right Ellen?).



I hope Monday is a wonderful day for you and I will be thinking about you as you celebrate your Birthday.



Well friends, if there is anything I have learned from this endeavor, I don't have single pictures of any of you. So, watch out, I will have the digital in my hands this next year to capture "solo" shots of all of you guys.


We are so fortunate to be surrounded by so many friends. I love looking through the digital files on the computer to find pictures for my posting, it brings back so many happy happy times with all of you.


Love
Sandy