☔ April 2024 FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

 

One of my readers, Kelly W., sent this to me.  It was the first laugh I had in the morning as I could see exactly what she was describing.  I want to share it with you:

So…couldn’t sleep. Have I ever told you I got whiplash from swatting a deer fly once? Yep! Had to wear a neck brace for 8 weeks. Also, this time of year, flies are sluggish and weird. I was reading my phone, in the dark, just trying to get sleepy. A fly would not stop crawling on my hands, dive -bombing my face. I swatted at it, but did not know where it went. UNTIL I felt it crawling on me under my nightgown! Jumped out of bed doing the “just get off me!” dance and figured it had flown off and was around planning its next sortee. I went to find the only flyswatter no one has lost…looks like an electrified tennis racket, and sat on the side of the bed with lamp on waiting for it to buzz the lamp. After about a minute, I feel it under my nightgown coming out from his hiding place under my “b****t! Let the dancing commence again! This time, I saw it fall and thank goodness, it had expired, as one might expect doing battle inside my nightgown with what lives in there. Held a brief trash bin-side service. Back in bed, but…Nope. Still not sleepy. And if hubby ever tells you he’s a light sleeper, just remember this and that he slept through all of it.

I felt defeated one particular day.  Defeated because I had so much planned in the domestic diva area, but every time I’d start to do one of the things, I ached somewhere on this old body.  Everything seemed absolutely daunting.  I sat down and thumbed through FACEBOOK, a mindless distraction most of the time.  One of my friends must have sensed I needed to read what she posted:  IT’S O.K. IF ALL YOU DID TODAY WAS SURVIVE.  Holy moley, that is exactly what I had done……survived.

EARLY VACUUM CLEANERS RAN ON GAS, NOT ELECTRICITY.  Well, I’ve seen “vacuum cleaners” sucking up meal droppings under the table---they run on four legs and have a wagging tail.

It’s easy to distract fat people; it’s a piece of cake.  It’s easy to distract squirrels; they’re nuts.  It’s easy to distract teachers; everything is chalked up to experience.  It’s easy to distract a laundry attendant; they’re such bubble heads.  It’s easy to distract a bear; just say “Aww, Honey.”  It’s easy to distract detectives; they don’t have a clue.  It’s easy to distract a child, just kid ‘em.  It’s easy to distract a grocer, give them some food for thought.

I learned a new expression---“fun hoover”.  It’s a person who sucks the fun out of something like a Hoover vacuum cleaner.

People who can’t communicate effectively think everything is an argument.

Word for the day:  HURKLE-DURKLE---a 200 year-old Scottish term meaning to lounge in bed long after it’s time to get up.  Hmmm, I do that often.  I love being retired so I can hurkle-durkle until the sun comes up.

Aint Daisy lives in the country. I asked her what those who visit her who live in the city ask, “How do you tolerate the quiet?”  She told me she tells them, “I tol'rate the sublime quiet very well.  It’s the noisy city I cain’t tol'rate.  Of course, there are some loud ‘Moos’ and chatterin' squirrels to put up with an' the birds tell me whar they are.  Then the coyotes sing the song of their tribe at night from time t' time.  The hooty owls call out t' let me know they are a-watching.  Yes, it can get a bit noisy out here sometimes,” she said with a grin and twinkle in her eyes.  Ahh, wisdom from the Lady of the Holler.

Masculinity isn’t toxic.  The absence of it is.  Weak men are abusive and spiteful.  Strong men are protective and loving.

My friend, Dianna, and I were taking a little road trip. She talked to me as I drove and let me know of different things to see. As I drove, nothing looked familiar---I had driven through the area a while before. I asked her to look at the map. She looked at me with a puzzled look and said, "This map is a little confusing to me. I think I'm your 'naviguesser’."

I love how the first thing they do at the doctor’s office is weigh you.  I was already nervous, now I’m depressed.  Maybe next they can bring up something I regret from my past and really get this party started.  My doctor noticed my blood pressure was a little high.  I told him, “Of course it is.  Your nurse insisted she had to weigh me.  She wouldn’t take my word for it when I told how much I weigh,” I grumbled.  “Well, Trudy, what do you weigh?”  He asked.  I told him, “Write this down on my chart.  I weigh too much.”  He chuckled.

Today will never come again. Be a blessing; be a friend; say words to encourage, comfort, heal, not wound. Give someone a smile, it may be the only one they get all day.  Having a soft heart in a cruel world is courage, not weakness.

I was reading some Facebook posts.  I saw this enlightenment and found it to be so very true. I'd like to share it with you and my added statement:   "I've learned a lot this year.... I learned that things don't always turn out the way you planned, or the way you think they should.  And, I've learned that there are things that go wrong that don't always get fixed or put back together the way they were before.  I've learned that some things stay broken, and I've learned that you can get through bad times and keep looking for better ones, as long as you have people who love you."  Jennifer Weiner  I added:  “As I've discovered/learned, some times looking through the opened window, when the door has closed, gives you a better view and perspective."

Shakespeare had such a way with words; however, in today’s English the thought or meaning gets right to the point.  Here are a few examples I’ve found and interpreted.  Shakespeare: “What light through yonder window breaks?”  Now: “Yo, shut the dang window!  I’m sleeping!”   Shakespeare: “And others have greatness thrust upon them.”   Now:  “What?!  More responsibility on top of all this other work?!”   Shakespeare:  “We know what we are, but know not what we may be.”   Now: “Yep, I’m Noah. What!? You want me to build an ark?  I’m NOT a carpenter!  I have things to do!”   Shakespeare:  “Et tu, Brute?”   Now:    Really, man?  Really??!!   Shakespeare:  "Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice."   Now:  “You need to shut up and listen more!”  Shakespeare:  "What's done can't be undone."  Now:  “Yes, I ate the whole pie.  You want it back?”

Brenduhh came over to tell me she saw a sign advertising for a pickle ball tournament. "Trudy, there's a sign wanting people to play in a pickle ball tournament.  What a waste of good pickles.  Next there will be 'tomato ball', or 'onion ball', or 'head lettuce ball', or maybe even 'watermelon ball' !!"  Oh dear, oh dear, I don't dare mention badminton because she'd hear 'bad mitten' and go off on that.  I can hear her now, "How can a mitten be bad?"

Sitting in church, my stomach started to make the call of a love-sick whale.  No matter how I moved, the sound continued.  I remembered my biology teacher telling us that sound has a name.  This information came about because in the middle of a test, my stomach started to make the sound, and everyone heard it, including the teacher.  The teacher announced, "No, that's not a love-sick whale's call.  It is an empty stomach's sound.  The sound is called borborygmus (bor-bo-ryg-mus).  Having an inquisitive mind, I looked up the definition.  It said, "Borborygmus is the sound from the intestines of the fluids and gasses moving.  I thought, "Along the avenue of exit, which causes another sound, which brings laughter to boys for some reason."

As always, Trudy J

🐑 March 2024 FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

 🐑 March 2024

I’ve been to different churches in my life.  Some have been enlightening and others have not.  I was sharing with my daughter one I’d been to a while back.  She asked, “What time did it start?”  I told her, “Oh, about 11:00.”  She replied, “O.k.  I know how you are about sitting for a long time and a speech getting to the point.  Soooo, what time did it end?”  She watched my face as I said, “When the minister ran out of breath, and I think prayed for every living creature on Earth!”

Bumper stickers can give you some reading material while you’re waiting for the light to change, a train finish traveling in front of you, or while you’re stuck in traffic.  Here are some I’ve seen:  KEEP HONKING AND ROAD RAGE WILL COME TO YOUR WINDOW; TURN SIGNALS---NOT FOR JUST SMART PEOPLE ANYMORE; DAISIES: NATURE’S SOPHISTICATED HUMOR TO ‘EENIE, MEENIE, MINEE, MOE’; HOME IS WHERE EVERYBODY KNOWS YOUR REAL NAME---YOUR FUN NAME, AND THE ONE YOUR PARENTS CALL YOU; I saw this on a VW Beetle---BACK OFF OR THERE WILL BE BUG GUTS ON YOUR WINDSHIELD.  It made me laugh out loud because I used to have a red VW Bug and loved it.  FAIR FOOD SURVIVOR; I saw this on a “Smart car”----MOM WASHED ME IN HOT WATER, I USED TO BE A LIMO L. 

We had a beast of a television in the late 60s---Magnavox I think. There was a big TV in the center of the long, wooden cabinet, record player with a large space for records below on the right, AM/FM radio below on the left. It took my dad, my brother and two neighbors to move that monstrosity.  We never worried about anyone stealing it, either.

Daddy was a very organized man.  He believed and lived “There’s a place for everything and everything has its place.”  I don’t know if he was obsessive-compulsive or just very neat, but you could bet if you put something back he’d put in a place, it better be in that place when you return it.  I didn’t know how very precise he was until he asked me to go to the basement and get something from a long, multi-doored, and multi-shelved cabinet he had.  He told me exactly where it was.  I followed his directions, found it, and got curious as to what was on some other shelves.  He had put dates on the packages of the items I saw.  He called out, “Did you find it?”  I responded I had.  I returned to his side with the item.  He wondered out loud why I was taking so long.  I said, “Daddy, you have so many things in that cabinet.  Some of them have not even been opened, and they are years old.”  He grinned and said, “Yes, I know I haven’t used them, because I never know when I might need them.”  I think he’d, also, had been a boy scout and embodied their motto-- “Always be prepared”.

I went over to my friend, Dianna’s house.  She’d called me and told me she was finished with her canning for a while and needed my help putting the lids and rings on the jars. She had some carpal tunnel issues and couldn’t twist the rings closed.  I thought it was a bit strange because in all the years I’ve known her, she never mentioned, nor did I see, any canning she’d done.  I walked into the kitchen and there on the table sat empty bags of M&Ms, tiny Tootsie Rolls, gum drops, Good & Plenty, Mike and Ike’s, cinnamon Tamales, Junior Mints, peppermint discs and spearmint discs, and Smarties.  Neatly lined-up were quart jars filled with the assortment on the table.  Next to each jar was a flat lid and ring.  I couldn’t stop laughing at her idea of “canning”.  She enjoyed my amusement.

“One who tells the truth doesn’t mind being questioned.  One who lies does.” Give that thought, a lot of thought.

Aint Daisy called me to come over.  She’d made two pies, one of which was cherry (my favorite), and needed to have someone help her eat a bit of it.  “Aint Daisy, are you in here?” I called out at the front door.  “Oh Chile, ye jes come on in here to the kitchen and set a spell.  I got the pie all cut and ready fer ye to share with me.  I want to talk over what someone said to me recently.  I had t’ get a little snippy with my reply t’ ‘em, and it’s been a-botherin’ me some.  Emma Jane called me an’ started tellin’ me about her teen chile who’d done sompin’ wrong.  She told how she scolded her and told her chile how much the doin’s had embarrassed her ‘cause every body’s gonna know about it an’ not think she was a good mama.  I let her talk, then got a bit tired a-her tearing the chile apart with her words.  I told her, when she took a breath, ‘Don’t be a-givin’ a scoldin’ to one who needs a hug, instead.  The chile knows she done wrong an’ yer disappointment at her choice.  Jes give her a hug, tell her ye love her, an’ to think about how she’s a-gonna act the next time.’  Emma Jane hung up without sayin’ ‘Bye’.  I recon she was irritated with my response.  What do ye think?” she asked.  I told her, “Your response was wise and kind.  The daughter will be better with a hug than a scolding.  As always, you provided wisdom to another.  You are our Lady of the Holler.”

I will leave you with this thought as reflected in what Aint Daisy said:  Often, some people don’t realize how their words and/or actions affect others.  Be careful what you say and do.  It’s not always about you.  This parallels what Thomas A. Edison said:  “The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”

Brenduhh came over all excited, huffing and puffing and could hardly tell me what she needed to say.  "Trute!!!  I just saw a police car with two ducks in the back seat.  I asked the officer why they were there.  He said, 'These two were walking around the bank watching people and making their usual noises.  So, being the suspicious people we cops are, I arrested them.'  I asked the cop, 'Why are you arresting them?'  He told me, 'It is believed they are safe quackers.'"  Brenduhh was very excited that she'd seen the arrest; I went to fix myself a cup of tea.  Sometimes I think, “If that girl’s brain was butter, it couldn’t cover a Wheat Thin.”

A chef on TV said, “Where there’s fat, there’s flavor.”  My body abounds with flavor!

You know it’s going to be an interesting day when you dial your TV remote and no one answers.  I found a new channel, though.

As most of you know, I like unusual words.  I saw a picture of a bathroom which had toilet paper dispensers on and all over every wall and the ceiling.  I wondered if there was a phobia for fear of not having toilet paper.  Holy Charmin, Batgirl, there is!!!

ACARTOHYGIEIOPHOBIA is the word, which made me wonder if there was a word for “fear of extra long words”.  There are two!!  HIPPOPOTOMONSTROSESQUIPPEDALIOPHOBIA and SESQUIPEDALOPHOBIA.  I hope you don’t have ATHAZAGORAPHOBIA which is the fear of being forgotten or forgetting something.  You’re welcome.

 

Peace and smiles to you until next month.  Trudy

💞 2024 February FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

 

         💓💝💞 2024 February FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

Brenduhh returned from her trip to Tibet where she’d visited a monastery where small land squirrels were sacred and ran all over the grounds.   It was located on top of a mountain and served delicious food to the tourists.  She ordered some thinly, sliced fried potatoes which were only prepared by one certain monk.  She said they were delicious.  I said, “It sounds like they are more like chips than fried potatoes.”  She said, “Yes that’s true.  I think he was known as the ‘chip monk’.”  I’m sure you’re familiar with the eye rolling some people do.

Memories---they take us back to a time or times which we want to remember.  However, some memories bring tears.  That’s all right because I believe when there are tears at a memory, more than likely it is because it was then you had what is missing now, and you wish then was now.  I’ve had those memory tears, and a bit later a small smile comes.

When I was in my early 30’s I taught swimming to children and adults.  The parents sat in the balcony watching.  I was at the grocery store in line with my toddler son in the seat and a basket full.  A little boy ran up to me and hugged me.  I returned the hug.  I noticed the father was watching, stepped forward and asked how his son knew me that he would hug me and I return the hug.  I smiled and said, “No worries for you.  I’m Trudy, I teach your son swimming at the pool.”  The man smile and said in a rather loud voice, “Oh Trudy!!  I didn’t recognize you with your clothes on.”  You should have seen the looks and heard the snickers. 

Tongue twisters have always been fun and even more fun when they are made up.  Some I’ve had fun with are from my demented mind:  SHIFTS FISH STICKS; WRITE WHITE WRONG; SHIFT FISH; SUE’S SIX SICK SHEEP’S SHEETS; BUSY BOSSY; BEAR BRAYERS; TWIZZLER TWISTERS; DOUBLE DOUBT DOWN; GLUTTON GULP; OOZE OZ’S OHS.  I was mentioning these to a dear friend, Carole.  She said, “Trudy, you’re bored.  Take a nap.”

As I approached the little house with the front porch holding 4 rocking chairs, I noticed Betty Ann coming out the front door.  Aint Daisy was walking close behind her nodding her head while Betty Ann continued to chatter.  “You take care o’ yerself and them young’uns, ya hear,” said Aint Daisy.  She saw me coming up the irregular stones placed for a sidewalk.  I noticed she didn’t say, “Y’ll come back real soon” to Betty Ann as she does to most who visit.   Betty Ann passed me, muttered, “Hi Trudy, how are you?  I have to get going to----”.  I didn’t hear everything after “to”, but I knew there was a lot more.  Aint Daisy greeted me with a smile and a “come on in” wave of her hand.  She didn’t say anything, just motioned for me to sit down at the kitchen table.  “I’ll be right back,” she softly said.  There was time for me to watch the squirrels scamper around the corn cobs on spikes and the different kind of birds come and go at the feeder with favorite seeds.  “How ‘bout some tea an’ cherry pie, Chile?  The pie’s from this mornin’, so’s it’s fresh an’ I got plenty,” she said as she got two dishes and two mugs down from the cupboard.  “Oh Aint Dasiy, you know I’ll never turn down your pie.  Yes, thank you.”  She served us both, sitting down across from me.  She was quiet, and I could tell she was thinking.  “Are you all right, Aint Daisy?  It’s not like you to be this quiet,” I softly inquired.  “Yes, I’m jes fine.  ‘Jes enjoyin’ the quiet and yer comp’ny, Chile.  Betty Ann was here, as ye know.  My oh my, that girl can talk the bark off’n a tree,” she said slowly shaking her head.  “Ya know, the good Lord gave you two ears to larn with an’ one mouth to tell about it. It’s best t’ use ‘em ears more ‘n the mouth if’n ye want people to enjoy yer comp’ny, often,” she said with a sly grin.   Ahh, more wisdom from the Lady of the Holler.

“Schlemiel!  Schlimazel!  Hasenpfeffer Incorporated!”  It was the silly little chant said by the actors Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams at the beginning of their show, LAVERNE & SHIRLEY.  Did you ever wonder what they were saying?  Schlemiel means a clumsy, inept person----like a klutz.  Shlimazel is someone with constant bad luck.  Both words are Yiddish.  Hasenpfeffer is a traditional Dutch and German stew made from marinated rabbit, cut into stewing-meat sized pieces and braised with onions and a marinade made from wine and vinegar.  Now you know.

My daughter Tara was talking about someone we both know who was quite upset about someone’s treatment of another person.  Tara said, “I hope she doesn’t lose her screws.”  The upset person is known to tell another person what is, in no uncertain terms.  Later on, Tara mentioned how she was sad she couldn’t help our friend.  “Mom, do you think you could help her?” she asked.  I said, “Not really, unless I give her a screwdriver.”  Tara laughed out loud.

I have a friend who seems to frequently give a positive response to an insult from another.  I was with her the day a person made a snide remark about, she'd observed my friend wearing the same garment two days in a row.  Had it been directed at me, I probably would not have been as gracious as my friend, Debbie.  She gently smiled at the insulting one and said, "Thank you so much for noticing me."  We walked away.

While talking with a friend’s daughter, she revealed to me her mother was abusive to her.  I let her talk about the abuse and listened carefully.  I didn’t want to smile or scoff at all the “abuse” she told me about:  “making my bed every morning, picking up and putting away the things on my bedroom floor, emptying the dishwasher, putting my dirty dishes IN the dishwasher, doing my laundry, removing my clothing from the washer and dryer in a timely manner, telling where I’m going and calling if I will be later than the set curfew my parents made.” Of course she went on and on.  When she finished she asked me if I thought she was being abused.  I told her, “Not any more than I was or my children were.  I think we have all turned out pretty fine.”  I asked her if she wasn’t “being abused” what she’d be doing with that time.  She told me, “I’d be texting my friends or taking a nap.”  Gods!  Turning into a teenager, I rolled my eyes twice.

The subject of heritage came up in a conversation with my friend.  I told her, “I have so many ethnic groups in my lineage that if I got offended about a snide remark of them, I’d be honked 24/7.  She told me she was talking to one of her grandchildren and told them she was part Blackfoot Indian.  The little fella told her, “Mimi, because I’m just a little guy, I’m a Blacktoe but, when I get grown, I’ll be a whole Blackfoot.”

Smiles and Peace to you until next month.  Always, Trudy J

🎇 2024 January FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

Sometimes I have a little bit of a hearing problem.  It’s not the volume that is altered, but the word pronunciation.  I really hear some weird things, and when I do and repeat what I heard, my children get a kick out of my mis-hearing.  I was over visiting my daughter and fixing myself a cup of coffee from the pot she’d brewed.  As I stood stirring a spoonful of sugar in to the delightful darkness, I thought I heard her ask me, “Do you want some plain or chocolate fentynl to put in your coffee?”, and I repeated it.  “Mommy, what??!!!  Are you serious; gods?” she exclaimed.  I told her, “Honey, that’s what I heard you say.”  She said slowly, “I said, ‘Do-you-want-some-plain-or-chocolate-MILK-in-your-coffee?’”  We both had a laugh.

I was riding with my daughter in her van.  A fast tempo banjo piece of music was playing as I happened to look at her speedometer.  I mentioned to her, “You know you don’t have to drive at what the speed the tempo of the music is, don’t you?”  We laughed, and I gripped the door handle a little bit more.

During some uncomfortable times, I had to deal with a man who was less than gallant.  He thought he was a knight in shining armor, but his was rusted and pitted in my opinion.  He continued to irritate me.  Mother always told me to try to remain a lady in tense situations especially around others.  So, when the opportunity presented itself, I told him what I thought of him.  I’ve always liked studying astronomy and used some of my knowledge to let him know how I felt about him.  I told him, “You remind me of the seventh planet from the sun.”  He smiled and said, “Oh, you think I’m out of this world?”  I said, “Yes, and in a dark hole of the universe is the seventh planet from the sun.”  I walked away; then, I heard a snarl.  Mission accomplished and I remained a lady with some knowledge.

There have been a few students go through my life whose mentality is somewhere between the intelligence of dead skin cells and pond scum.  This one particular boy became angry with me at the assignment I’d given.  He tried to get me to argue with him, which I didn’t. (You don’t bait the trap with soap and expect the mouse to bite.)  He became so angry he yelled, “You dumb bitch!”---Yes, some have been known to spew forth their entire vocabulary.  I gave him a pass to the dean’s office and told him it would be in his best interest to stay there.  Then, I went immediately to the principal’s office to tell him what had transpired.  When I told him the happenings, I included, “Dustin, also, called me a dumb bitch.” He came out of his chair.  He was incensed and started to go to the dean’s office.  As he passed me, he asked, “Is there anything else I need to know, Trudy?”  I said, “Yes, there is---for the record, I’m not dumb!”

I’m sure most of you know what a sugar daddy is---a rich man who spends money on a favored female.  I’ve wondered what a poor man is called who does the same.  I think it would be a lolli pop.

Do you know the difference between the people of Dubai and Abu Dhabi?  Well, the people of Dubai don’t like the Flintstones, but the people of Abu Dhabi do.  I saw a little sign on a Glock gun.  It said, “So many are redefining things.  So, consider this a cordless hole puncher.” 

Here are some things I’ve thought about, and others have too:  Which letter is silent in the word “scent”, the S or the C?  Every time you clean something, you make something else dirty.  The word “swims” upside-down is still “swims”. (You turned the page or your head, didn’t you?)   If you replace “W” with “T” in “what, where, and when”, you get the answer to each of them.  Do twins or any others in multiple births ever realize that one was planned and the others weren’t? 

Did you know that every day the heart creates enough energy to drive a truck 20 miles?  In a lifetime, that is equivalent to driving to the moon and back.  So when you tell someone you love them to the moon an d back, you’re essentially saying you will love them with all the blood your heart pumps your whole life.  Pretty meaningful, huh?

PSITHURISM:  is a noun meaning the sound of wind in the trees and rustling of leaves.

Courage takes on different meanings to others.  I’ve known that:  courage is when only you know you’re scared (Daddy told me that when he was telling me of some of his experiences in WWII commanding a ship at Iwo Jima in the throes of battle with a crew of “kids” younger than his 26 years.).  Or, courage is doing what is right no matter what.  Or, “courage is the ability to control fear and to be willing to deal with something that is dangerous, difficult, or unpleasant.”  And then there is: having a soft heart in a cruel world; that, too, is courage, not weakness.

Forgiving is not forgetting.  It’s remembering without anger.  The Bible tells us to forgive, so I do; but, it doesn’t say a thing about not remembering what you’re forgiving.  I think remembering the wrong done to you helps you to not get in the situation, again.  The old saying of, “Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me,” is a fallacy, to me.  You physically recover from the sticks and stones which hit you, but words…oh words come back to haunt you when you least expect them.  Perhaps it’s a sound, or smell, or sight, or feel that returns them.  They come back all right.

Patience….oh how it haunts and evades me from time to time.  I’m sure it’s evaded you, too.  It’s a difficult feeling to get----almost like you have to chase it.  And, sometimes when you “catch” it, you aren’t as rewarded as you thought you’d be.  It’s not just the ability to wait; it’s the courage to endure the waiting without losing hope.  Some people seem to have endless patience, or is it perseverance?  Could it be patience in perseverance or perseverance in patience?

Have you ever looked closely at a hand-made quilt?  Some are beautiful with the colors, swirled designs of thread, and intricately sewn pieces.  Then there are the ones that the colors are muted or faded, not real intricate and rather plain in design.  Those are the ones which have many stories in the pieces of cloth used to make the designs.  Scraps of worn out clothing, except for areas which were tucked-in and not exposed to wear, make up a lot of these quilts.  Oh, and the old feed sacks used are treasures because feed sacks aren't made anymore like they used to be.  The feed sacks have a charm of their own. I have thought a lot about quilts I've seen which were made with love from clothing scraps and feed sacks.  They tell stories and coax memories for those who use them.  I read an essay written by Sean Deitrich about quilts.  He was talking with an 88 year old lady about why she still enjoys quilting.  She told him, "“Oh,” she says. “I think it’s just a woman’s way of taking ugly old things and refitting them together to be pretty again. Sort of like God does with people.”

I was in an intense fellowship with an opponent one day.  They spewed forth all four, well maybe it was six, words in their vocabulary.  I remained calm and let them sputter.  They signed-off saying, "Oh, go to hell, and I hope you stay there!!"  I gave a side smile and retorted with, "Thank you, but I've been to Hell----Hell, Michigan.  I wish for you to stay in Georgia----Okefenokee Swamp, Georgia, or the Everglades, Florida."

I'd gotten some sad news and was wrestling with it.  I knew one person who would listen to my feelings and comfort me with words.  I knocked on the door.  She opened it wearing her usual smile and her favorite blue, flowered apron with many pockets.  "Well looky here who's come t’ visit me!"  Aint Daisy said with a smile.  "Come on in, Chile.  I jess got some pies out o' the oven and they're sitting on the table.  How 'bout a piece of yer favorite?"  I followed her into the kitchen, pulled out one of the chairs, and sat down.  I didn't say much, which I'm sure was a clue to my sadness to her.  "Hmmm, sounds like yer a might quiet today.  Ye wanna tell me yer trouble?" she encouraged me as I cut a slice of cherry pie and put it on the old plate.  "I'm so sorry to bring my trouble to you, but you're the only one who will give me words which will help me deal with this.  I have a friend who is, also, my colleague at work.  I received word this morning she had suddenly passed away last night.  Her desk is across from mine.  I'm having a lot of difficulty dealing with the fact she's gone and looking at the empty chair at her desk," I said with choked words.  I told of the fun times, lengthy talks, sharing of experiences, and laughter we had had.  Aint Daisy sat next to me listening as I cried and spoke.  I stopped talking and reached for another tissue to blot my tears.  It was then she reached to touch my hand and held it.  "Chile, we all experience a loss o' someone who has been special to us.  We all wonder how to deal with the loss. I can say a lot o' words, but ye need jess a few.  Here is a word o' comfort----FRIEND.  Ye first called her yer friend.  What a blessin' that is.  All yer moments together and the laughter will keep her close to ye and give ye comfort."  She became quiet, patted my hand, and smiled.  ‘More wisdom from the "Lady of the Holler". 

🎅 2023 December FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

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As I approached the front door of the cozy, little house, I saw a familiar face sitting on the flowered, over-stuffed couch.  She appeared to be distressed and had tissues crumpled in her hand.  Aint Daisy sat in her rocking chair intently listening.  I hesitated to knock, but Aint Daisy saw me and motioned for me to come in.  “Come on in here, chile.  I’m sure Sara Jo won’t mind you a-bein’ here.  She’s got a triffle right now and is sharin’ it with me.  Meh-be ye can give a bit more advice than I can.”  I sat down on the red chair across from both of them.  Sara Jo faintly smiled and continued her conversation.  “I just can’t forget all they did to me and the hurtful words they said.  I feel shattered.  I know I’m supposed to forgive them, but I just can’t forget,” she sobbed.  Aint Daisy took her hand and asked, “When ye remember the happenin’ ‘n words, you’re a-thinkin’ you should fergive it all, but it seems kinda silly to try ‘n fergive when yer still hurt ‘n angry.  Right?”  Sara Jo replied, “I don’t know.  I’m still caught up in the hurt and I’m mad.”  Aint Daisy rocked a bit, squinted her right eye and nodded her head.   “Whall, fergivin’ doesn’t mean you should ferget it ever happened.  It means yer fergivin’ the person, but ye aint a-fergettin’ what happened or what was said.  If’n ye ferget the happenin’ and the words, then yer fergettin’ the warning’ and lesson that was taught t’ ye.  Now, ye need to not be angry when yer forgivin’ a-cause forgivn’s about puttin’ the happenin’ and words away and not a-bein’ angry when ye do it or think about it from time t’ time.  Ain’t that right, chile?”  “Aint Daisy, I could not add anymore to what you’ve said.  You’ve given more wisdom to us, again, and we thank you.  You are our Lady of the Holler,” I said with a smile.

Brenduhh came over with a question.  “Trute, I’ve been reading some entries on my chatting site and people don’t use words; they use capital letters.  I understand some of them, but others I don’t.  Do you know what IDK means?”  “Yes, I do,” I said.  “O.k. what is it?” she asked.  “I don’t know,” I said.  “You just told me you knew!!  Make up your mind.  Yeesh,” she snarled.  “Yes, I know that IDK is ‘I don’t know’,” I responded.  “There you go again!!!  Now I’m totally confused and you don’t make any sense.  Good-bye for now,” she said as she left.  I don’t think she’d understand Abbott and Costello’s WHO’S ON FIRST, either.

My friend, Theresa Marie, told me, “Trudy, I’m trying so hard not to act like I feel.”  I told her, “Oh honey, I know all about that.  Today, at this time, I feel GREAT----but take the E-A-T out of the word.”  She laughed and told me, “That one statement from you made me feel a bit better.”  Laughter is medicinal, y’all.

One year over Christmas break, my beloved hubby gave a short assignment in the geography classes he taught to be written about where the student was and to describe the geographical surroundings.  It was due the day the students returned.  Two weeks later the students returned and the assignment was collected.  One student told him, “I don’t have mine.  I had it and had written it on the beach in Florida when a wave came up and took it out to sea.  Could you give me another day to write it?”  My husband told the student he was sorry that happened, but it was due that day.  The student whined and whimpered stating they weren’t going to get a grade for it.  My husband, with the quick, droll wit he had, told the student they would get a grade and it could be found on the beach where the student had sat.  Thus, the student was to look for it when they returned to that spot.

 I’ve seen some amusing and punny headlines.  Here are a few:  “Skiing Season Opens in Iran”; “Toilet-seat Firms Sit Down and Talk”; “Postal Service seeking ways to deliver mail more slowly” with this headline following the next day---“Overnight, second-day mail will be delivered a day later”; “Mortuary adds drive-through”; “Hemorrhoids inspire respectful hindsight”; “Studies indicate fat intake affects obesity”; “Envelope company envelops more land for enlarging company”; “Toilet paper company on a roll for production”. 

A while ago, I posted, on Facebook, something I believe in and try to do each day.  It said, “Today will never come again.  Be a blessing; be a friend; say words to encourage, comfort, heal, not wound.  Give some one a smile; it may be the only one they get all day.”  There were comments.  One person stated they “always try, but it’s hard sometimes when you never get anything in return.”  I told them, “The feeling of satisfaction you’ve made, a moment of positive to another and yourself, is really all you need.  Any of the actions mentioned shown to another may not produce a response, but you planted a seed.  The farmer plants a seed; other elements and actions help it to grow.  The farmer did his job and saw the results of planting the seed.”

Brenduhh called me and asked what works to clean a dirty oven.  I told her, “Baking soda works.”  She thanked me and went on to clean her oven.  I got another call about 2 hours later, only this time she was hysterical.  “Come over here right now!!!  I want you to see my oven!!”  I ran over, well…..I walked fast.  As I entered her house, she was yelling.  I went to the kitchen which looked like a brown bomb had gone off on the stove.  “What in the world happened, kiddo?”  I asked.  “Well, I did what you told me that baking soda would clean my oven.  So, I took a liter bottle of Coke, put it in the oven, and set the temperature for 375.  In about 20 minutes the bottle exploded and this is what is the results!!!!”  I felt so sorry for her and offered to help her clean up the mess.  “This is the last time I’m asking YOU for advice on cleaning products,” she snarled.  Guess who was a bit relieved.

I read a new law has been passed in Illinois.  It is now ILLEGAL to have your dog ride in your lap when you are driving.  It’s about time.  I’ve wondered how safe driving ensued when the dog was in the lap of the driver.  I saw a Doberman sitting on the driver’s lap one time.  “Right hand turn, Clyde,” came to mind.

English is difficult.  It can be understood, though, through tough, thorough thought.

Have you ever told God what you’ll never do?  Well, I did.  He had me never-ing like I’d never ever never-ed before.  Ya just don’t tell Him what you won’t do.  He has His ways of convincing you to do what you thought you’d never do.

Do you remember the YEP YEP muppets on Sesame Street?  I do, and every time I say, “Yep” the mental visual and auditory memory of them pops up in my mind.  Then, there is the “1-2-3 Ladybug picnic” song.  It’s only 58 seconds, but a very catchy tune and a smiley one at that.  Yep, it’s stuck in your head, now, isn’t it?  You’re welcome.  Then there’s “Baby Shark” or “The Macarena”.  O.K.  I’ll stop.

If you are over 50 and reading this, you might have noticed that as you’ve “matured” (I don’t like the word “old” unless it’s referring to antiques) drama and toxicity stop looking like excitement with adventure, and a peaceful, easy feeling stops looking like boredom. 

A friend of mine came over all excited about her new exercise routine.  I politely told her I have my own every morning.  It consists of:  getting my foot and leg through my unders’ and pants’ holes and not fall over; bending my arms backwards to fasten my bra without getting a cramp somewhere; bending over to get the “girls” in place without my back going out; putting my socks on each foot as I try to bend my leg to get my foot up to rest on the opposite knee and then, when successful, straightening out each leg; afterwards, and then---let’s talk about standing up.

The Christmas tree; have you ever thought about its shape in relationship to the meaning of this celebration?  It is triangularly shaped, with usually a star at the top.  Each point represents the trinity:  Father, Son and Holy Ghost.  We decorate it to draw attention to it---really subconsciously drawing attention to the trinity.  The lights light the way, just as the trinity lights our way to Heaven.  Have you ever noticed how your eyes travel from the bottom to the top as you gaze at the beauty of your tree?  Don’t your eyes travel up when you are talking to The Master in Heaven?

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy Kwanzaa, y’all.

 

🦃🦃 November 2023 FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

 "Be who you are and say what you feel.  Those who mind don’t matter, and those that matter, don’t mind.”  Dr. Seuss

This is so true. I remember when I was a kid there was a saying:  “Be what you is, because if you ain’t what you is, you isn’t what you ain’t.”  In my life I’ve seen many people trying to be what they aren’t, confirming that they aren’t what they are and have lost sight of who they should be---themselves.  So much energy is spent trying to be something you aren’t, and it all comes out sooner or later.  Unfortunately, the deception makes you look really bad to those who care about you; and to those who don’t care about you----yeesh, it gives them more ammo to say nasty things or confirms what they’ve thought all along.  So, be who you is, not who you isn’t, because if you ain’t what you is, you isn’t what you ain’t.

"One isn't necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can't be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest." (Maya Angelou) 

The old farmer says:   *Yer fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight and bull-strong.  *A bumble bee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor.  *Words that soak into yer ears are whispered...not yelled.  *Meanness don’t jes’ happen overnight.  *Forgive yer enemies.  It messes up their heads.  *Do not corner something that ya know is meaner ‘n you.  *It don’t take a very big person to carry a grudge.  *You cain’t unsay a cruel word.  *Every path has a few puddles.  *When ya wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty and smelly.  *Don’t judge folks by their relatives.  *Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.  *Don’t interfere with somethin’ that ain’t botherin’ you none.  *Lettin’ the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier ‘n puttin’ it back in.  *If ya get to thinkin’ yer a person of some influence, try orderin’ somebody else’s dog around.  *Make sure yer on the upside of the tree yer tryin’ to fall.  *When you barrey from yer neighbor take back twice the amount ya barryed.  *God gives ya jest as much daylight as He does the feller down the road.  *Don’t think ya can outrun a mad bull or mad sow.  *If the corn crib’s empty, so’s gonna be yer belly.  *Pay attention to yer barkin’ dogs.  *The quiet dog on the porch doesn’t necessarily mean it won’t bite.  *When yer think yer too good to say “I’m sorry”, yer not good enough.  *The fruits of yer labor depend on how many jars ya canned.  *There’s more in a smile than what is on yer face.  *Not every crowing rooster has somethin’ to crow about.  *The best ride is the one home.  

An OXYMORON is a figure of speech in which two words with opposing meanings are used together for effect.  Interestingly, the word OXYMORON is a compound of two words: (oxús, “sharp, keen, pointed”) and (mōrós, “dull, stupid, folly”). Translated literally, you get “sharp-dull”, "keen-stupid," or "pointed folly." In other words, "oxymoron" is itself an oxymoron. The common plural form is "oxymorons, but the actual plural is "oxymora."  Here are examples: jumbo shrimp; pretty ugly; random order; dry shampoo; civil war; silent scream; old news; bitter sweet; plastic silverware; working vacation; stupidly stubborn; deafening silence; deceptively honest; freezer burn; good grief; larger half; plastic glasses; small crowd; unbiased opinion; etc.  I’m sure you can think or have heard others.

A new liquor store was established in a town.  Its name was “Boo’s”. 

Speaking of liquor, I have a friend, Charlotte, who enjoys wine every day.  She sometimes enjoys it a bit too much.  This particular evening, she’d had a lot of “enjoyment”.  The hostess was gathering the empty glasses and came to Charlotte’s.  The hostess asked if she wanted anymore.  Charlotte replied, “I’ll have a splash more.”  The hostess had never heard of that “measurement” and asked how much that was.  Charlotte replied, “A splash more is when you know you’ve had a bit too much, but you like it so much you want to have just a splash more.  It’s just enough to make a small splash in the carafe.”

My friend was traveling though the deep South.  She wasn’t familiar with the area and stopped at a gas station for directions.  She approached the old cashier and asked where a certain place was.  He said, “Well, it’s two sees down yonder.”  She didn’t have a clue about where he was talking and humbly asked, “What is ‘two sees’ and ‘down yonder’?”  He explained, “Look out the window.  Look as far as you can and tell me what you see.”  She did and told him she saw two silver silos.  He said, “Alrighty.  That’s one see.  Now go to that and look as far as you can and that’s the second see, and there you’ll be.”  She asked what “down yonder” was.  He chuckled and said, “That’s the straight away you’ll travel to your two sees. ‘Yonder’ is referring to something in the distance. ‘Down’ is the direction indicated.  So, ‘down yonder’ means something off in the distance in the direction indicated. It’s off in the distance in the direction you’re a-going.”  When she returned, she asked me to help her with some of the terminology said there since I’d lived in Atlanta years ago.   I told her I’d gladly help her.  Then she asked about the foods.  I told her she’d have to buy two cast iron skillets preferably at a thrift store and make sure they are used and old.  She asked why.  I told her to just buy the skillets and I’d explain when she got them.  She didn’t know I’d be in my glory with all that.

While driving down some country roads to a little town, my daughter, Della, was with me.  The scenery was lovely as I watched it go by as I drove.  She mentioned I needed to pay attention to my driving and quit looking around.  I assured her I was doing just that.  “Oh right,” she muttered.  The air conditioner was on, and I noticed she had her arms crossed.  I asked her if she was cold.  She said, “No, Mummy.  I’m just hanging on for dear life.”

“Patience is not just the ability to wait; it’s the courage to endure the waiting without losing hope.”

As I walked up the stone sidewalk to Aint Daisy’s house, a mutual friend of ours was leaving.  I noticed his steps were a little heavy and his head wasn’t held as high as it usually was.  I knew he’d had some rough times, recently.   I greeted him with a smile and words of, “It’s nice to see you.  Have a good day.”  He faintly smiled with a nod of his head and walked on.  I knocked on her door and she invited me in.  “Good morning, Aint Daisy.  How are you, today?”  I asked.  “Oh chile, it’s good to see ye.  Come on in and set down.  ‘Want some sweet tea?  Get ye some, ifn ye do,” she softly said.  I did, then sat down on the overstuffed, flowered couch.  “I notice, Mike came for a visit.  How is he really doing, Aint Daisy?  He’s had some rough times, recently,” I asked.  “Chile, bless his heart, he confides in me, and I try to give him the best advice I have based on my experiences.  He told me, ‘Thank ye for always being there for me and for always believing in me.  You are one of the very few who do, and a lot of days that keeps me going.’  My oh my, I sat here a-trying not to have tears, but that was a bit difficult as I know what all he’s a-been through, which he didn’t deserve.  I told him, ‘At the times of challenge, it is difficult to believe the ‘trial’ will work out and to believe in yerself.  Barrey my belief in ye ‘til ye can find yers, again.  Tough times do not last, I know this fer sure.’”  Such grace, kindness, and wisdom comes from our Lady of the Holler.

One of our past presidents was briefed on the drought which was occurring in a large area of our country.  He said, “I believe rain is needed to end the drought.”  Ya think??  In the 1988 Georgia legislature was a bill presented to the governor which sat on his desk for a while.  All it required was his signature.  From what I read, the governor was not expedient on signing the bill which would ban nude dancing on the governor’s desk.  I guess he couldn’t make up his mind. 

Peace and kind thoughts for this month.  Trudy J

 

👻💀 2023 October FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

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I was walking one afternoon and passed an elementary school yard.  I watched the kids playing on all the equipment provided.  But, there was one piece which stood alone and empty.  It was a metal merry-go-round with inverted u-shaped bars and spaces between those bars to enter and sit down on the spinning fun machine.  One of the children, who knew me, saw me and came over to the fence.  I asked him why the merry-go-round was empty and not being used.  "Oh, we don't go near it because it spins too fast, we get sick to our stomach and so dizzy, and sometimes it throws us off onto the grass."  I replied with, "Oh, interesting."  As I walked away, I remembered the times I rode on that thing, got thrown off, got dizzy, jumped up and waited to ride it again.  I believe that is one of the reasons my generation is tougher than the ones now.

Every now and then I have a former student contact me with a question.  It usually leads to a discussion with enlightenment on both parts.  Here is one I had with Bill about common sense.

BILL: What happened to common sense conversation? In the past we were allowed to disagree with people. Now, you can't disagree about anything political or not. How do I deal with people that are against conversation? And, I typically avoid politics if possible. You've always had common sense, so I thought I would ask you.  ME:  Well, as you are finding out, COMMON SENSE just isn't so common.  In today's society, so many want to be "politically correct", have become so sensitive that a regular conversation which we'd had in the past is basically obsolete.  Everyone has an opinion, which is fine, but too many have become zealots and try to ram theirs down another's throat.  BILL:  But, is that expected to be our new “normal”?  ME:  It’s a defensive age and the “new normal” is looming.  BILL:  A lot of people are willing to die on a hill to become a damn martyr. ME:  “NORMAL” is an ambiguous word, to me.  I have two children who, years ago, would be considered “not normal”.  Well, with all my knowledge and experience, they are smarter than some who are considered normal.  If you think about it, Bill, what IS normal?  Everyone has an area of challenge; some just have a bit more.  Yes, some people are determined to have 10 seconds of fame hoping it will expand.  I just call them “FOOLS”.  BILL:  I think everyone has something to offer to others whether they are “challenged” or “normal”.  But, there is a lot of attacking on the part of the enemy, and some of this crap makes me want to get mean.  ME:  I understand.  There was a teacher at EPCHS when I was there, who made a statement about the very challenged special needs kids who were leaving their classroom as we stood in the hall.  He said,  “They shouldn’t be at EPCHS; they should be in an institution with the other abnormal people.”  I about went ballistic on him.  I told him, “There, but for the grace of God, goes one of your children or grandchildren.  I have adopted two children who are challenged; they are my grandchildren.  They are smarter than YOU because they are accepting of people who are not as challenged as they.  YOU ARE A FOOL, in my opinion!!”  And, with that I walked away.  You do not have to get mean to defend an opinion.  You will be the fool if you do.  FIRM is accepted and not degrading to you, but being mean is.  As I said, the intolerance of a person toward another and their challenge is worse than the challenge of that target or targeted one.  In essence, the criticizer is the one with the problem and a big handicap, not the criticized, challenged one.  BILL:  I knew there was a reason I asked you!

I was texting to my daughter about making ground chicken and ground turkey blend of meat patties for supper.  I called it “turken”.  When I looked at what was printed that I’d sent, the “turken” had been changed to “turkey”.  I hate it when my made-up word gets misspelled.

Brenduhh had a question/statement for me.  “What rhymes with ORANGE?”  Me:  “No, it doesn’t.”  Brenduhh:  “What does!”  Me:  “No, it doesn’t.”  Frustrated she asks, “What word rhymes with ORANGE, smarty pants?!”  Me:  “Actually, there is no word which rhymes with ORANGE or SILVER, for that matter.  Did I ever tell you about the dialogue between Abbott and Costello called, ‘Who’s on First’?”  Brenduhh:  “Arrrggghh! You know too much!”  Me:  “Hmmm.”

People treat you exactly how they feel about you.  It may not initially appear, but it is revealed as time goes on in your relationship.  Does it feel to be a duty or a want to be with you?  Is the smile forced or comes automatically when you are seen?  There are other clues; you just have to look for them.

As I approached Aint Daisy’s house in the late morning, I noticed the porch floor had been refreshed with new paint and all sizes of footprints painted all over it.  Each footprint had a name on it.  “Good morning, Aint Daisy.  How are you this fine day?  I see the porch floor has been enhanced with footprints painted on it.  That’s a unique presentation.  Who are all the names, though?”  I asked her.  She smiled and had a twinkle in her eye.  “I’m a-doin’ jess  fine, chile.  About those footprints with names on ‘em, whall each footprint reminds me o’ someone who done brought a smile t’ me.  I believe ya need t’ leave footprints o’ love and kindness wherevah ye go.  So’s, there’s some o’ those who’s a-done jess that.”  There’s more wisdom from the Lady of the Holler.

“Creativity is intelligence having fun.”  Albert Einstein”

Be humble and never think you are better than anyone else… ‘for dust you are, and unto dust you shall return.’ That’s why I have a strong hesitancy to vacuum-up dust bunnies.  Gods!! It may be someone I know!

As I’ve lived and discovered, there IS a difference between being kind and trying to please people.  Some of you have probably discovered, there are some people who just can not be pleased, no matter what you try to do. I saw some examples of not really being kind, just trying to please people.  Here are some:  *Repeatedly forgiving people who refuse to change; *Not expressing your feelings when you’re upset; *Taking on more than you can handle even when you’re very tired; *Not standing up for yourself when people are disrespectful to you; *Being a crutch for others when you’re burned out; *Being everyone’s support system but your own; *Saying “yes” to things and regretting it later; *Going along with things you are not happy about or which go against your standards just to avoid creating friction.

As a teacher, I’ve dealt with a lot of different personalities of kids.  There have been really smart kids all the way through not-so-smart.  Some have been very unique; and some have been common, ordinary, down-to-earth.  I was listening to some teachers talk about some of my students whom they, also, had.  The remarks were not very kind---they were ridiculing of the uniqueness and not-so-smart traits and the shy ones.  I’d had all I could listen to and decided I’d mention something they all had which is more important and trumps the idiosyncrasies of them, in my opinion and experience.  I said, “Y’all have talked about some of the same students I have.  You have ridiculed their uniqueness and individuality.  What they all have in common which is the most important is, not a single one of them is mean---they are all kind.  THAT is what is important!!”  With that all said, I left the group shaking my head in disgust.  So, if you have children or know children who are unique, smart, not-so-smart, creative, shy, quiet, weird, clownish, theatrical, a chatter box, or adventurous appreciate the trait(s) they have, but most of all, appreciate that they aren’t mean.

There are many famous lines from movies I’ve seen which stick in my mind and I use, when the time is right.  Here are a few: “If I am to be insulted, I must first value your opinion.” –Doc Holliday, Tombstone.  “Bah da bing, bah da boom.” --Godfather 1972.  “I am under no obligation to make sense to you.”—Alice in Wonderland 2010.  “I’m your huckleberry.” ---Doc Holliday, Tombstone.  “Leave the gun, take the cannoli.” ---Godfather 1972.  “A very merry unbirthday to you!”---Alice in Wonderland 1951. I’m sure you have some which are your favorites.  Enjoy the memories.

May the sunset of the evening remind you of the blessings of the day and hopes for tomorrow.                                                

Always, Trudy J