Chicago Homestead WannaBe Seeks Snail Mail Penpals

Carla Emery · #1 01/08/04, 03:33 PM

This divorced 50ish lady has been writing me. She lives on disability [back? problem] in a city apartment and dreams of the goats and gardens life that she used to live. Has no phone. No computer. She desperately wants to communicate with like-minded people. I don't have the time she needs from a correspondent. Am hoping somebody will see this and feel moved to write her:

Ms. Elizabeth Cole
12 Ramey Ct
Georgetown, IL 61816-2017

Here are excerpts from some of her [unanswered

] letters to me to get you started...

Dec. 19 "I recently found a 51-acre farm with BARN on sale. That farm is only about 35 miles from here. With my luck, I'll never get to return to country living--and live on a real farm. The last time I splurged I bought a lottery ticket. I didn't match even one number!"

Dec. 24 "The salt should be kept as far away from the yeast as possible--instead of putting the salt into the liquids, please mix it with the flours and that way it will be put in at the end of making dough. That way the bread dough rises better."

Dec. 29: "Japanese Beetle trap: Mix together mashed fruit, sugar, yeast, and tepid-warm water: Mix it in an old plastic milk jug. Set it out wherever needed and strain as necessary."

Jan 2: "Years ago I had a BIG black Great Dane female whom I called Peanut. She never had any formal training. She would lay down and let my two very young toddlers crawl all over her, pulling her ears and tail. When she'd got enough of that, she'd just stand up, lick the kids' faces, and walk off a little ways. But when a stranger walked onto our yard, Peanut barked and would imnmediately place herself equidistantly between us and the stranger. Then she'd bare her teeth and growl. Noone agued with Peanut in that situation."

THANK YOU!!!

moopups · #2 01/08/04, 04:09 PM

I rescently saw an ad for an AOL email device that works with the tv - but there must be a phone line installed. The device was about $99.00 which may be within her range. Also the Office of Public Counsel of her state could be contacted about reduced rate phone service offer to disabled people. Its a new federal tax reduction of the add on taxes by states, counties, and cities. Information is usually added to your phone bill's inserts.

Mullers Lane Farm · #3 01/08/04, 04:17 PM

Wonder if this is Georgetown in Carrol County (NW IL) or Vermillion County (central-eastern IL).

If she's in Carrol County, she's within an hour of me. Think I'll drop her a note.

SueD · #4 01/08/04, 05:50 PM

I'll drop her a line, too... Know exactly how she feels, lol!

You know - she might just wind up with more pen-pals than she knows what to do with, lol!

Sue

AngieM2 · #5 01/08/04, 05:57 PM

I may have to contact her also.
sounds like she has good knowledge for this board, and I have an
Internet Device (computer that just does internet and e-mail) in a box doing nothing that was given back to me when Mom got a new computer.

Hmmmmm.

Angie

Carla Emery · #6 01/08/04, 06:24 PM

Bless you, all, for considering contacting her! I don't think she could afford even the $99 though. If she COULD get online and hang out here at HT, I think it would just transform her life!
Carla

kidsnchix · #7 01/08/04, 07:10 PM

I'm going to write to her also, I'm about the same age and right now am living in town (in Arkansas) and hoping to move back to the country this summer (in Kentucky).

RoseKYTN

westbrook · #8 01/08/04, 09:27 PM

she needs a phone doesn't she to get on line?
Can't she get a phone? I can't imagine her not having a phone. The phone companies have very special rates for people on limited incomes. A phone is consideres a necessity even if all you get is 911.

To Those that live in her state, is there a way you would check on the special rates?

Perhaps I will write her and enclose a stamped envelope for her. I would feel badly if she couldn't afford the stamps.

Carla Emery · #9 01/08/04, 10:19 PM

No phone. No car. She walks everywhere. She dreams of getting out of the city and being able to garden again. Very intense person. Been hurt a lot in the past.

uncle Will in In. · #10 01/08/04, 10:49 PM

The $99 outfit is Web tv.. That is what I am using. WalMart sells them.. You have to have a phone line to plug into. (Phone bill) You have to sign on to MSN TV as your internet provider.. ($21.95) You are now up to about $50 per month.

FolioMark · #11 01/09/04, 12:06 AM

I hate to rain on this parade but something is not right about that address. That zipcode 61816 is for Broadlands IL a very small town not far from me in Central
Illinois. By no means is it a city, in fact its about as rural as you can get. Georgetown in Vermilion County is a suburb of Danville, a decent sized city but
no metroplex by any means. She could walk out to the country from anywhere in
Georgetown in about 1/2 hour. Are you sure you got the right address CARLA?

nostalgia · #12 01/09/04, 02:34 AM

If someone can confirm this lady's address, I would like to make a suggestion.

I would love to do this for her, but to be honest, right now I can't even afford to continue my own. But if someone has the money to help her, I bet she would love a subscription to Countryside.

Carla Emery · #13 01/09/04, 10:50 AM

The address is correct. I just double-checked.

I was wrong in my notion that she lives in a big city, but I'm sure I've got it right that she has no place to garden, dreams of gardening, and enjoys talking about homestead topics.
Carla

#14 01/09/04, 11:00 AM

Maybe she can get a cell phone. We just heard they were accepting old phones to give out that only work for 911. I am not sure if this is going on in the Chicago area too and can't remember the charitable organization behind it...

FolioMark · #15 01/09/04, 11:08 AM

CARLA:

I double checked the address and the zipcode is wrong. There is a 12 Ramey Ct in Georgetown Illinois in Vermilion County, but the zipcode is 61846. Maybe you misread her handwriting. Georgetown is a pretty small place about 3600 people and Ramey Ct sits on the edge of town with corn and bean fields behind it. One of the nicest scenic rivers in Illinois, the little Vermilion, is about 1/2 mile away at the end of the next street to Ramey Ct. If the lady wants country she sure wont have far to go.

Carla Emery · #16 01/09/04, 12:04 PM

I took the return address off a printed return address stuck to the outside of the envelope... I wrote her back once and asked for her phone number.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FolioMark

CARLA:

I double checked the address and the zipcode is wrong. There is a 12 Ramey Ct in Georgetown Illinois in Vermilion County, but the zipcode is 61846. Maybe you misread her handwriting. Georgetown is a pretty small place about 3600 people and Ramey Ct sits on the edge of town with corn and bean fields behind it. One of the nicest scenic rivers in Illinois, the little Vermilion, is about 1/2 mile away at the end of the next street to Ramey Ct. If the lady wants country she sure wont have far to go.

sancraft · #17 01/09/04, 12:51 PM

If she can afford the phone and access bill, I will buy the e-mail thingy from Wal-Mart and send it to her. It won't be until Feb (1st week) becuase I made a big boo boo in my checkbook and had to pay $276.00 in overdraft fees this month :no: Can anyone else commit to a few dollars per month to help with her phone bill?

diane greene · #18 01/09/04, 08:12 PM

Can she get to a local library - almost all of them now have internet access. A librarian can show her how to use a computer and get on to this website - all for free.

Carla Emery · #19 01/09/04, 08:29 PM

I don't know, Diane. How 'bout you write her a letter and find out?
Carla

rainesridgefarm · #20 01/09/04, 09:35 PM

I will send her a letter.