🎉 2025 January FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!  My! What a year 2024 was.  There were so many interesting things which happened in my life---so many to be thankful for, some things which brought a tear, and many which brought a smile or laugh.  I’m headed for birthday #80 this year.  I’m grateful for that, too, as I didn’t think I’d be here that long, and I know some who never saw that year. I hope your new year brings you a lot of smiles, a few tears so you can appreciate the smiles, some feelings of awe, and many grateful experiences.  FYI:  1 billion people watch, on television, the New Year’s Eve ball drop in Times Square each year.

I was recently looking at a picture drawn by a young person displayed on a wall.  It was a big circle with a lot of scribbling line inside the circle.  In a small area was a heart.  The title of the picture was CHAOS of THE WORLD.  I had a blank sticky note in my purse.  I took it out and wrote on it, “The title of this picture should be CHAOS OF THE WORLD, BUT THERE IS LOVE, due to the tiny heart.” I put the note on the wall beside the picture.  I went back later and saw on the sticky note, “Yes, there is always room for love.”  I smiled.

Have you ever noticed that your attitude to another is usually based on the way you’ve been treated?  It is for me.  It’s like approaching a growling dog; you remember the warning, you’re nice, but very cautious. 

Teacher’s meetings after a long day in the classroom can be daunting.  Usually the administrator(s) haven’t had to deal with what we do for 6+ hours.  This particular meeting was every bit boring and unnecessary and the information could have been put in a note in our mailboxes or sent as a departmental e-mail.  As the administrator droned on and on, I noticed one of our male teachers had fallen asleep.  I understood his plight because he worked as a security guard from 5 to 12 after he’d taught all day.  The administrator asked, “Does anyone have anything to say about what I’ve just presented?”  Within three seconds the sleeping teacher awakened with a loud snore.  One of our most candid teachers said, “Well, that seems to be the majority’s opinion.”  The group erupted in laughter.  The meeting was dismissed.  In another meeting, my husband was to receive the 35 year ring of appreciation.  The administrator who presented it to him was a legend in their own mind.  My husband was in his 36^th year of teaching.  So, the presentation was actually a year late---the fault of this administrator.  The administrator said, “Guy, I’m presenting to you this ring for 35 years of service.”  Guy smiled, held up his finger and said, “And I’m presenting to you the finger.”  Not a soul could stop laughing.

As I’ve aged, (matured sounds so much better, though), I’ve found that simplicity is a lot more comfortable than complexity.  My simplicity is:  a reasonable amount of night’s sleep, simple meals, laughing in a conversation, listening to the sounds of silence, watching a sunrise or sunset, closing my eyes and enveloping myself in memories which are smile producers, a purring cat on my lap, the feel of fresh and clean sheets, a smile from someone, hearing a child’s laughter, “I love you, Mom”, “Thank you”, remembering the memories, and many more, but I can’t think of them, now.

Men have a language.  Up nod is “What’s up?” Down nod is “You have my respect.” Right nod is “I need to talk to you about something.” Left nod is “Yo, check this out.”  Well, women have a language, too.  Eye roll means “Here he goes again.” Sideways smile means “Oh yeah, riigghhtt.”  Half closed eyes means “I’m not looking, but I’m looking.” Slowly moving head from side to side, “Unbelievable”  Slowly moving head up and down with a side smile, “I told you so.” Both hands on side hips means “Get ready for not winning, AGAIN.”

Sometimes my mind wanders into names of towns which would be suggestions describing an occupations or businesses.  Bend, Oregon for a yoga instructor; Sweetwater, TX for a brewery; Big Battle, WV for an ammunition plant; Blue Balls, PA for a ball making company; Bald Head, Maine for a wig making company; Pray, Montana for a church kneeling rail company; Mexican Hat, Utah for a sombrero making company; Recluse, WY for independent living.

Here are some actual product labels.  “Wash when dirty.”; “Clothing tested on animals, but didn’t fit.”; “Use this ONLY to curl your hair.”;  “Product tested only on party animals”; “If you don’t know how to use this, we suggest you find someone you really like and invite them to shower with you to demonstrate.”; “Can be washed by both men and women”; “Do not fry this product while naked”; “Remove child from shirt before washing”;  “Laundry wash pods are not for eating!”; “Use in the shower while you sing an 80s song.  Do your best”; “Do not engage middle finger when you can’t understand these directions.  Call your friend.”

I saw a sign the other day.  “I IDENTIFY AS DANGER.  MY PRONOUNS ARE:  TRY ME”

Butterflies rest during storms because the storm activity and elements damage their wings.  It’s all right for you to rest during the storms in your life.  You’ll regain flight when it’s over and your wings will be strong.  If you think of how a butterfly evolves.  I believe it is proof that you can go through a great deal of darkness and still become something beautiful.

We were in the throes of “intense fellowship” one day.  My beloved, Guy, growled, “If you EVER get lock jaw, I’m going to throw a party!”  I told him I’d invest in a paper company so I could continue to communicate with him.  Then I tried to show him some sign language.  Still angry, he surprised me and showed me what he already knew.

Brenduhh and her sister were on opposite sides of a river.  Her sister calls to her, “Yoo Hoo, how do I get to the other side?”  Brenduhh looks up and down the river.  Then she calls out, “You ARE on the other side;” which leads me to tell you, there always is a flip side to the flip side.

Ohnosecond: That minuscule fraction of time in which you realize that you’ve just made a BIG mistake; or you pressed SEND instead of DELETE or visa versa.

I’ve mentioned stupid.  I’ve mentioned ignorance.  Here are some definitions which enlightened me.

“A fact is information minus emotion.  An opinion is information plus experience.  Ignorance is an opinion lacking information.  And, stupidity is an opinion that ignores a fact.  My opinion, based on fact, but not ignorant is----all this is tried, tested, and found to be true.”  Now you know.

“Take sides.  Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim.”  Eli Wiesel

Just know, everyone isn’t replaceable.  That’s true.  There is the physical vacancy, but when filled with memories, there they are!!

I was talking to others about their Christmas.  Some had a joyous one, others were lonesome missing certain family members who had passed away or moved away too far to visit.  A few were sad or had sickness to deal with.  I understood and empathized how they all were feeling, as I had experienced each of their feelings at one time or another.  I said to them, “Among all the unusual happenings are the memories of the fun Christmases of the past when the kids were little and filled with awww at all the festivities.  Then there are the memories of my Christmases with Mother, Daddy, and my siblings as I grew up.  It just takes an odor, a sound, or a taste to bring it all back.  And, there I am, once again, in the middle of the now with the memories of then.”

I was wrestling with some issues; one was a success I’d had and the other my fear of failure.  I went to Aint Daisy and told her about them.  She said, “Nev-uh let success go to yer head, and nev-uh let failure go to yer heart.  There has t’ be a balance, chile.  Success can be a double-edged sword---where much is given, there’s much expected.  Failure can be a steppin’ stone to better things for ye.  Remember:  when a windah closes, a door opens.  With a small failure, the windah, may lead to a big success, the door.  More wisdom from The Lady of the Holler.                        

                                    Peace and smiles to you until next month.  Trudy

🎄🎅🤶 2024 December FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

 

🎄🎅🤶

At this special time of the year when I reflect on my passed Christmases, I think of what a friend gently asked me, “Trudy, do you ever forget those you loved who have passed away?”  She was dealing with a loss of a loved one, so I understood her question and intent.  I told her, “How could I forget them?  They gave me so much to remember.  I thank God every day for the memories, which no one can take away.  And, sometimes the memories gently roll down my cheek, and I remember more and smile.”  May your memories take you through the “missing them”, the memories which gently moisten your cheek, and the closing of your eyes to “see” them again.

Do you know the difference between "I don't care" and "I do NOT care one bit"?  The first "I don't care" leaves room for change.   The second one, especially since 'do NOT' is said and not the contraction, indicates there is just about zero percentage for change or rebuttal.  Well, that's my interpretation based on personal experience and expression.  It's pretty much the same with "Who gives a sh**?"  I searched it on Google and noticed my name wasn't in the search results.

A little fella at church, Cruz, age 4, was listening to his father talk about his worry of the area they were going to was having very heavy rains, and he was concerned about flooding.  Cruz in all his four years of wisdom said, “Dad, don’t you remember that God said He’d never flood the earth again?  That’s why he sent a rainbow.  That’s His promise.”  Thank you, Dianna, his Sunday school teacher, for teaching him that God’s promises are true and sure.

I know that December isn’t really the month to talk about dandelions.  But, I came across this piece of information and didn’t want to forget to share it with you.  Soooo, in April, May, and June with the heads of gold start flooding your lawn, think of this.  The dandelion is the only flower that represents the three celestial bodies of the sun, moon, and stars: The yellow flower resembles the sun, the puff ball resembles the moons, and the dispersing seeds resemble the stars.  Every part of the dandelion is useful: root, leaves, and flower. It can be used for food, medicine, and dye for coloring. Dandelions have one of the longest flowering seasons of any plant.  (Only children can appreciate this.  I’ve had many “bouquets” of these on my table.)  Dandelions are, quite possibly, the most successful plants that exist. They are masters of survival worldwide.

A friend of mine let me know I’d gotten more grey hair. I told her, “They’re not grey, they’re silver and they are WISDOM highlights. You don’t have very many, though.” She walked away.  'Showed me she could count to ONE.

I've tried to reduce my stress. I read where if you throw darts it helps dissipate the stress. So I started throwing them. The police told me I had to get a dart board, though. I guess someone complained.

“Nothing you love is lost, not really.  Things, people, they always go away, sooner or later.  You can't hold them, any more than you can hold moonlight.  But, if they've touched you, if they're inside you, then they're still yours.  The only things you ever really have are the ones you hold inside your heart.”  Bruce Coville

I was talking to my friend who always is ready to help another person.  Dr. Ruth Westheimer called it “the Joan of Arc” complex----always wanting to help someone to even sacrificing your needs.  I mentioned this to her.  She smiled and said, “Well, if I have that complex you are the match which lights the fire under me.  You bring me warmth and encouragement to get moving.”  Hmmm, I never saw me in that kind of light.

Do you know why you shouldn’t trust a nosy pepper?  It is because they are jalapeño business.

In some languages, just one word will tell a complete sentence filled with other words, in our language, to describe a feeling.  From Japanese, this is one of those words:  KUCHISABISHII (koo-chee-sah-bish-ee) which means “when you’re not hungry, but you eat because your mouth is lonely”.   Then, there are the multi-syllabic, multi-lettered words which make your tongue tired before you get to the end of the work.  In English, this word is like that, and it’s one of my favorite:  pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis (a lung disease some miners get).  In German, this is one of those extra long words.  Well, I’m not going to type it because it has 79 letters and we probably wouldn’t be able to pronounce it, anyway.  It means:  "association of subordinate officials of the head office management of the Danube steamboat electrical services".  O.K., I got brave, searched the word and found it.  Here it is:     

                      Donaudampfschiffahrtselektrizitätenhauptbetriebswerkbauunterbeamtengesellschaft

I need a drink after trying to pronounce it.

Moving right along after all that lingual gymnastics, did you know that the peach was the first fruit eaten on the moon?  Well it was.  Applesauce was eaten while orbiting the moon.  The first meal consisted of some bacon.  This goes to prove that no matter where you are in the galaxy, bacon is preferred over fruit by some people.

I got one of those boiler room calls from a stranger asking for me.  I told him, “I am madam’s secretary.  She is on a cruise and will not return for 6 months.”  He snarled, “So you’re going to be there wasting other people’s time answering the phone?”  I told him, “I’m not wasting your time; you’re wasting mine,” and hung up.  So, maybe for 6 months I won’t be getting a call from this troll……just maybe.

Mother used to tell me when she was giving me medicine, “A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.”  Well, that worked until I had to have a suppository. 

My friend was in a financial bind about having her furnace fixed.  I told her to go ahead and make the appointment to have it fixed and I’d help her.  She sort of argued with me about “Oh, I don’t want to burden you.  I’ll figure something out.”  I got a little honked because my offer was sincere and I wanted to help her.  She started to cry, gave me a hug, and told me she was very grateful.  I knew she was and was glad I could help her.  I told her, “Oh honey, don’t worry.  I have just the right mask to wear and squirt gun to bring as I rob some bank.”  She exploded in laughter.

I saw a picture of a box of CRAYOLA crayons.  I swear I could smell that picture!!  Oh the memories it brought back.  At the time I used them, there were only 8, 16, 24, or 48 count in a box of them.  Then the 64 count came out in 1958.    I begged to have those; got them for Christmas!  Well, the company, in 1996, produced 120, and in 2013 out came 152 of them.  There are 148 unique colors! Some colors are offered in special effects, further expanding the color selection with specialty crayons like glitter, pearl, confetti, metallic, bold & bright, and more!  Let’s not forget skin tone colors, which came under the color category of flesh, which was a light peachy color.  Realizing everyone has a different skin tone, in 1962 it was changed to peach.  One can add “more red to create warmer skin tones, or more yellow and a bit of blue to create cooler skin tones. To create darker skin tones, mix in a small amount of ultramarine blue or burnt sienna.”  There is, also, a 24 count of skin tones called COLORS OF THE WORLD!!  Leftover Crayola stubs are called “LEFTOLAS”.  You can melt them and blend them to make a big multi-colored crayon.  That’s a fun one to use.

I was thinking about dog names according the breed it/they are.  Here are some examples of my thinking:

Calvin and Klein or Fruita and D’Loom---boxers; Victor and Borge---Great Danes; Speedy and Buss---greyhounds; Baa and Bahh---sheep dogs; Getcha and Gotcha---Rotties, Dobbies, Cane Corsos or German shepherds---guard dogs;  Clot, Hemo, and Globin---bloodhounds.  I’m sure you can think of other names for other breeds of dogs.  Enjoy your imagination!!

Aint Daisy was sitting in her rocker by the lit fireplace when I went in to visit her.  “Chile, ye know I’m jess getting’ warm on one side.  It’s like jess having one friend----yer a little warm, but not as warm as havin’ two or more friends t’ warm yer soul and body,” she mused.  “I never thought of that, Aint Daisy.  You always have some wisdom to share.  You are truly my lady of the holler,” I said with a smile and gratitude.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa to you!  Trudy

🦃 2024 November FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

 🦃

My friend, Melodie, and I were talking about Facebook.  She was irritated that it kept sending her contact requests from someone who writes their name in Arabic.  I told her, "I, too, am irritated at Facebook.  I keep getting a request from some prince in a foreign country telling me he will share his fortune with me if I send him green $60 U.S. dollars.  I sent him three green 20s in U.S. game money, but I've not heard from him, yet." I guess he doesn’t think Monopoly money counts.  He’s not played the game, obviously.  She laughed.

I found this and wanted to share it with you.  It’s about being rude to someone,                                  Being rude is easy.  It doesn’t take any effort and is a sign of weakness and insecurity.  Kindness shows great self-discipline and strong self-esteem.  Being kind is not always easy when dealing with rude people.  Kindness is a sign of a person who has done a lot of personal work and has come to a great self-understanding and wisdom.  Choose to be kind over being right, and you’ll be right every time because kindness is a sign of STRENGTH.                                                                                             Now, I do realize it is difficult (almost impossible at times) to try to be kind because some situations and people just flat-out don’t deserve it.  I had a friend very emphatically tell me this.  I sort of agree, but try to be kind even if it is behind a veiled desire to be another way.  I told my friend this and included, “Proverbs 18:2 will help---"Fools find no pleasure in understanding, but delight in airing their own opinions."

I stopped in to see Aint Daisy and discuss a person who just drives me nutz.  “Hello, Chile, jes come on in here and set a spell.  Are ye a-wanting some cherry pie and whipped cream, today?”  Oh what a silly question to ask ME since cherry pie is my favorite, especially when she makes it.  There is just something really special about hers.  So I replied, “Oh yes, if you don’t mind.  I love your cherry pie and home made whipped cream.”  As I sad down on the over-stuffed, flowered couch, she went to the kitchen talking over her shoulder, “So, ye have a trouble ye wanna discuss with ole me?”  She brought the pieces of pie on two antique plates, which had pansies on them, to the living room and sat down.  “Yes, I do and I really hope you don’t mind me telling you who is just driving me nuts with what they’re doing.”  “Naw, jes start a-talkin’ and I’ll listen to ye,” she gently said.  I started, hoping I wouldn’t get angry.  “Aint Daisy, when I talk with Sally Jo about anything I’ve accomplished---mind you I don’t brag, just tell----she tells me all she has done, accomplished, and how good she was at it, and goes on and on about how terrific she was/is and all that.  This is EVERY DANG TIME, and I’m getting so I don’t really want to talk to her about much of anything.  What is your advice?”  Aint Daisy was quiet, smiled, and patted my hand.  “Chile, I know all ‘bout Sally Jo.  She has always been that-a way.  ‘Don’t rightly know why, but she has.  When she comes ovah here, she does the same thang.  I listen as bes’ I kin, but it gets difficult at times.  Sos, here’s what I keep sayin’ to myself, ‘An empty barrel makes the most noise’, meaning the more she jabbers on and toots her horn, and fluffs her feathahs about all ‘em doin’s she’s a-done, the more I know that half, if not more, ain’t true, but she says it t’ make herself look important.  Does that help ye any?” she soothed and chuckled. I laughed out loud envisioning Sally Jo hollering down an empty barrel and the resounding cacophony of chatter.  “Oh, Aint Daisy, you have the best solutions to my irritations,” I said thanking my wonderful friend---The Lady of the Holler.

 The cold months turn me to home made soups.  I have a plethora of them which I enjoy making and eating throughout the week.  The family knows, if the big kettle comes out and is put on the stove, we’re going to be eating what comes out of it for more than two days.  I’ve made this potato soup and it’s delicious.  I hope you have a large crock pot, because it makes a good amount.

CROCKPOT POTATO-CHEESE SOUP                                                                                                 1 large bag of frozen hash brown or diced potatoes; large can of low sodium CREAM OF CHICKEN SOUP; One 8 oz. block of cream cheese cubed; 1 to 1 ½ C shredded sharp cheddar cheese; ½ cup diced onion; 8 oz. bacon bits, 32 oz. low sodium or regular chicken stock; ½ tsp. granulated garlic.             Pour the potatoes in first, add the cubed cream cheese, soup, shredded cheddar cheese, diced onion, bacon bits, garlic, and pour the chicken stock over it all.  Carefully mix it all together so the liquid is distributed evenly.  Cook 4 hours on high stirring about every 1.5 to 2 hours.  Stir to blend before serving. You might have to add some salt to taste.  ENJOY!!!

I came across this list of HOW TO TELL YOU’RE A MATURE ADULT.  So much rings true, so I guess I’m an adult.  ---you’d rather sleep than go out ---everything hurts ---comfort comes before style ---everything feels like a chore ---you want to sleep late, but awaken early ---you make sounds when you rise from sitting ---fiber in your diet becomes very important ---you’re constantly being called about Medicare additions, and you tell them you’re on an 8 month cruise.

As with some of you, I’ve lost people in my life who touched my heart and will remain memorable. This observation by Bruce Coville is so true.  I hope it helps you as it has me.   “Nothing you love is lost, Not really.  Things, people, they always go away, sooner or later.  You can't hold them, any more than you can hold moonlight.  But if they've touched you, if they're inside you, then they're still yours.  The only things you ever really have are the ones you hold inside your heart ..”  

 Did you know that the original first Thanksgiving wasn’t even called that?  I don’t know what it was called, but it wasn’t what we call it.  It was originally in October after the last harvest.  The first recognized Thanksgiving was in 1789 when President George Washington issued a proclamation designating Nov. 26 as a national day of thanksgiving to recognize the role of providence in creating the new United States and the new federal Constitution.  President Abraham Lincoln officially changed it in 1863 from October to November 26, which was the final Thursday of November of that year.  Then it was declared that Thanksgiving Day is to be celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November, as specified in a joint resolution passed by Congress in 1941 and a proclamation issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1942.

I was wondering about which gender is the happiest.  So, I checked and found “Women around the world report higher levels of life satisfaction than men, but at the same time report more daily stress.”  Well, yes we have more daily stress because men can go out and have a burping contest after drinking gallons of beer then after that have a farting contest and laugh until they wet their pants.  Then, all their buddies think they’re great, all go home, sleep it off, and become civil the next day.  But we gals can’t do all that and remain ladies and not be scorned by other gals.  There is our “more stress”, and the standards are not equal.  Then I wondered which gender has a high pain tolerance.  Here is what I found:  “Lab-based studies find men demonstrate a higher pain threshold (the point at which you first detect pain) and higher tolerance to pain, compared to women.”  Oh right!!!  Men haven’t birthed a “bowling ball”, either.  THAT is pain!!  And have you ever seen a man with a cold vs. a mother with a cold?  “The end of the world is coming; I’m gonna die,” cries out.  But, the mom goes on without much complaint.

I had a friend tell me they were tired of being used and disrespected.  They asked me if I had any suggestions on how they could prevent having that happen to them.  I told them, “It’s always a good idea to initially be nice.  You establish your treatment from another by what you say, how you say it, your posture, and how you look at that person. A Fireball candy piece looks fine until you test it.”

“A mistake repeated more than once is a decision.”  Paulo Coelho  “A mistake learned from it is a learning experience, which eventually teaches wisdom.”  TJR

I've never wrestled an alligator, but I've walked into a spider's web in the dark.  Soooo, same thing.

A friend came over and found me a bit honked at someone else.  "Trudy, what's going on with you?" she asked. I told her, "I'm just going to start treating others the way they treat me, from now on. I try to treat others the way I'd like to be treated, but recently I've discovered that doesn't seem to be the case with everyone."  She thought for a moment, and then gave me a bit of her insight, "I understand.  I've known you for a long time and have seen a lot of sides to you.  I'm happy and content with you, but I know some who really should be scared.....very, very scared."

"And life went on.  It was not the same, but it went on."  david jones "Yes it did, and the memories kept you in it until I let them go." tjr

🎃 October 2024 FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

 🎃2024 October FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

Have you ever been at a breaking point and just didn't think you could keep going?  I'm sure you have as I have, too.  Well, I knew just the person to talk to, so I went over to her house, knocked on the screen door and told her through a sob, that I needed to talk with her.  She came quickly to the door, opened it and put her arm around my waist.  "Oh Chile, I've not seen you so upset for a long time.  You jess come on in here and set down; we'll talk," Aint Daisy soothingly said.  I poured out my heart through the sobs and sniffing.  She listened intently,

offered many tissues, and patted my hand.  When I got some composure, she said, "Now, darlin', yuv reached yer breakin' point, cried a lot which is good a-cause tears are the safety valve uh the heart.  Now ye can be used."  "What in the world do you mean, I can be used?!"  I stammered.  I was really surprised at that remark, but knew something wise was going to be told.  "Whall, if'n ye look at an egg in its shell, ye cain't use it until its a-broken, now can ye?" she stated and questioned.  I thought about what she said and asked her to go on with her theory.  "Without you bein' as broken as ye are, the good Lord cain't use you as well.  Ye see, darlin', when yuv been through the tough times ye can hep another through thars.  That's a-how the Lord uses ye when yer broken.  A-course, ye have to call on Him to hep ye thorough it all a-cause if'n ye try t' do it all yerself, ye ain't gonna be as useful and it will really be tough.  Now, thar's some cherry pie and whipped cream in the kitchen.  I'll put on some tea and you and me will have some o' both."  There was more wisdom for the mind and goodies for the soul from the lady of the holler.

The Centennial state, Colorado, is actually a hexahectaenneacontakiaheptagon, a shape with not four, but 697 distinct sides.  This surprising detail emerges from the meticulous examination of its boundaries, which reveal a complex geometry far beyond the simplicity of a rectangle.  Pronunciation of that long word:  hex-a-hecta-any-a-ya-conta-ki-hep-ta-gon.  You’re welcome.

Be the light in the darkness.  The only way light can grow is to pass it on.  The Bible says in Matthew 24:14-16, “Don’t hide your light under a basket.”  I think you might be humming a little song you learned as a child.

A friend of mine was frequently following many others without thinking of the outcome, consequences, and responsibilities.   She told me, "Trudy, I like what this particular mass of people are saying and representing.  So, I'm going to follow along with them.  What do you think?"  I thought for a minute and said, "It's your choice alone; however, keep in mind the "M" in masses can be silent."

A friend came to me upset about another who was talking badly about her, and my friend had done nothing to deserve the besmirching. My friend wanted to retaliate with harsh words. I listened and then told her, "That person sees something good in you that they know they don't have. They are trying to cover it up and deflect it.  Remember: confidence is silent, insecurity is noisy.

When my son was young, the doctor strongly recommended he drink some strong coffee to help him with the ADD/HD he had.  I was in agreement because I didn’t want him to have to take a chemical medication for it.  He went to school with some coffee in a portable drinking container.  He drank some while in class.  The teacher, who allowed water to be drunk in her class, saw him drinking it and asked him what it was.  He told her it was coffee to help him concentrate.  She took it away from him and told him, “Drinking water, not coffee, is allowed in this class.”  When he got home he told me about her taking the coffee away.  The next day I sent a note stating, “Attached is a prescription from his doctor stating he is to be allowed to drink coffee.  Coffee is 98.99999—99.99999% water, which you said water was allowed to be drunk in your class!!  Thus, he will be drinking coffee in class to help him focus.  Talk to me if YOU have an issue with this or do not understand the chemistry of the two.”  Funniest thing, I never heard from her, and my son drank his coffee.  Imagine that.

Brenduhh came over for a chat.  I noticed she was a little unsteady in her walking and had the smell of alcohol on her breath.  I asked her if she was all right.  She told me she'd talked to a police officer and had to blow into something, and he told her to make a wish.  She asked me, "Trudy, what is that thing he asked me to blow into and make a wish?"  With what I was observing I answered, "A breathalyzer.  How about a few cups of strong coffee and a big freshly made muffin?"

The number 41 is very significant.  Here is why:  In the Bible, it rained for 40 days and 40 nights.  Day 41 came and the rain stopped.  Moses committed murder & hid in the desert for 40 years.  Year 41 came, and God called him to help rescue Israel.  Moses went up on the mountain for 40 days.  On day 41, he received the Ten Commandments.  The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years.  Year 41, they walked into the Promised Land.  (A female probably asked for directions.)  Goliath taunted Israel for 40 days.  Day 41 came, and David slew him.  Jonah preached a message of repentance to Ninevah for 40 days.  On day 41, God stopped His plan to destroy them.  Jesus fasted and was tempted for 40 days.   Day 41 and the devil fled.  After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples for 40 days.  On day 41, He ascended into Heaven. All this to say...don't quit. The rain will stop, the giant will fall, and you will enter your "promised land." Don't give up at 40.  41 is coming.                           Credit: McKenzie Miller

When you touch one life, you don't just touch that one; you touch all the lives which touch that one you touched.  Yes, it’s a pyramid, and a pretty nice one at that.

While talking to my sweet granddaughter who is, also, my daughter by adoption, she brought up the subject that she and her brother are both in the autistic spectrum with other challenges. "Mom, why did you and Dad adopt Stephen and me? Was it to fix us so we'd be like others?" she asked. I told her, "No, it wasn't to fix you two because you will always have the challenges and be in the autistic spectrum. We adopted you because we loved you very much, and still do. You see, love tries to help. It sees farther than any other feelings. It brings with it hope and determination, and usually an attitude of not quitting. I hope your dad and I have demonstrated so much of what love is and does."  She smiled and gave me a hug. Softly she said, "Yes you have."  My eyes sweated.

Brenduhh came over, again, in a snit. "Just look at this! I don't know what to do to get this package of baby wipes wet, again. I've used only some and don't want to throw away the dry ones." I had difficulty not laughing at her perplexity; but, that would have been condescending. I told her, "I think if you add enough water to soak the dry ones, all will be fine. Make sure you keep the package closed after you put water on them so they don’t dry out." She went to the kitchen sink and put water on them. "Oh Trudy, you are so smart!" she exclaimed. I replied, "I try. How about a lemon muffin and some tea for an afternoon refresher?"

Please envision these scenes:  My dear friend, Dianna, has a heart of gold.  She will help you even when she’s tired.  Her grandson needed her to take care of his 6 year old, very active son for a few days until 2:00 p.m. when he would get off work and pick him up.   The boy was brought to her about 11 at night to sleep over because the dad had to be at work by 5:30 in the morning.  Keep in mind, Dianna is used to sleeping until 10 or 11 in the morning since she doesn’t go to sleep until 3 or 4 in the morning.  Well, the first morning the child awakened at 5:30, announced he was hungry, and wanted to eat.  Dianna, being so thrilled (not), got up and fixed him some breakfast and encouraged the boy to return to bed for a while.  That was futile.  So, it was a long day until 2:00 p.m.  The next night he came to sleep, again.  He awakened at 6:00; wow! a whole 30 minutes more!!  What Dianna didn't know was the kid was equipped with a whistle, which he activated at 7:00.  At 7:00:03 seconds, Dianna was in possession of the whistle.  I asked her what took her so long. I, also, asked her if she had scrambled a few eggs with a side of melted whistle for his breakfast.  She told me if this happens again, there be more scrambled than eggs.  I'm thinking the boy will be searched thoroughly when he returns for the next sleep over.

The brain learns new things, but it is the heart which remembers.

“Gratitude is the heart’s memory.”  How interesting it is to me when I experience a lack of gratitude in others.  I guess their hearts have lost their memory.

Smiles and blessings until next month----Trudy 😊

🏫 2024 September FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

Brenduhh and I went shopping at the mall.  We walked by the restroom and thought it would be a good idea to utilize it before shopping some more.  We finished and went to the sinks to wash our hands.  As Brenduhh was drying her hands, she brought my attention to a sign.  It said, "Please check that you have flushed the toilet."  She got into her purse and retrieved a purple permanent marker and proceeded to put a check on the announcement.  I asked her what she was doing.  She said, "I'm following the directions which tell me to check that I've flushed the toilet.  I did, and now I'm putting a check on the sign.  Do you think I should put my name next to the check?"  Her check was the only one on the paper.  I mentioned there were many more stores we needed to visit.

The hippopotamus can open its mouth wider than any other land animal.  Hmmm, I have an acquaintance or two which are very close to having the same classification.

As I approached Aint Daisy’s front door, I could hear Dellajean crying about the troubles she had and what was causing most of the troubles.  Aint Daisy motioned for me to come in as she listened attentively.  I could understand all the grief Dellajean had, as I’ve been at that level, too.  I sat down next to her on the over-stuffed, flowered couch in the living room, putting my hand on hers for reassurance and comfort.  Aint Daisy rocked in her rocking chair listening.  Dellajean drew a breath and asked Aint Daisy, “How can I make all this go away?  It just seems to be pouring down on me.”  Aint Daisy gently smiled and said, “Chile, yer overcomed by all these here troubles.  I understand it all becuz I’ve had them, too; meybe not the exact ones yuv got, but similar.  I’ve cried many a tear and worn out many a handkerchief  tryin’ to get through those troubles.”  Dellajean started to relax and asked, “So, what did you do?”  Aint Daisy leaned forward, patted her hand letting her know she was sure all would be settled and peace would come.  Then, she said, “Jess remember, darlin’, every storm runs outta rain, every wind blows itself out.  Yer gonna be fine.”  This precious lady of the holler has so much wisdom.  God, bless her as she’s blessed us so often.

The guitarist of the praise group I sing in at church, chose a song with which I was not familiar.  I told him and he sent me a recording of it.  It's a catchy tune which played in my musical mind all day.  I returned a comment to him of, "Thank you for sending this to me.  It's been playing in my head all day.  I'm so glad we're not singing BABY SHARK."  Sorry folks, I know what you're hearing in your mind.

We only see the letter A for the first time in 1000 (thousand). Letters B and C do not appear anywhere in the spellings from 1 to 999,999,999, while letter B comes for the first time in 1,000,000,000 (billion).  SURPRISE!

I like meatballs, but I want few and simple ingredients.  I found this recipe which has only 4 ingredients.  Enjoy!  Recipe: 4-Ingredient Sausage Balls

1 pound sausage (spicy variant optional) or ground beef or ground turkey or chicken or pork
2 cups Bisquick
4 cups cheddar cheese (the most flavorful is shredding your own)
1/4 cup milk                                                                                                                                                Of course, you can add your own spices to taste.  There’s no law preventing that!  Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.  In a large mixing bowl, combine sausage, Bisquick, cheddar cheese, and milk. Mix thoroughly with your hands until well incorporated.  Form the mixture into 1-inch balls (a melon ball scoop is perfect to use) and place them on the prepared baking sheet, ensuring some space between each ball.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and fully cooked.

I believe life isn't about showing the bruises.  I believe it is collecting the scars and proving you showed up for the "wars and battles" and came out victorious.

I've had dogs in my life; and, I've had to let them cross the rainbow bridge. A person told me, as I was grieving my loss, "Oh, it was just a dog."  I set them straight with, "He wasn't 'just a dog'!!  He was my friend, part of my family, my sanity, brought me happiness, taught me and others more than a human could, my unfailing protector, a therapist, and the most loyal creature to grace my life.  That's what 'just a dog' is!!!"

Happy day to everyone….Except for those weird men who reply to comments asking women to send them a friend request---definitely not you; you're omitted.

I saw a sign on a co-worker's desk a while back.  This person was known to have anger issues.  The sign said: "I don't avoid conflict because I'm scared of you.  I avoid it because I'm scared of myself.  My temper can go from zero to death row in a nano second."

Arithmomania (a-rith-mo-mania) is the compulsion to count.  Crimminies, I do that going DOWN the stairs so I don’t miss a step; while waiting for a long train to pass, I count the cars; I don’t count the number of M&Ms I eat, though.

When Guy and I were teaching, he always made the coffee in the morning.  It was strong and very good.  I asked him one time why he made it so strong-----12 cups of water—10 scoops of coffee.  Yes, I tap danced to the car.  He told me, “Are you forgetting what we do for a living; who and how many we deal with for 6 hours a day; and, what they really are?  Trute, this is liquid courage!!” 

I don’t know about y’all, but there are times I have trouble sleeping.  I’ll awaken while it’s still dark, not even the butt crack of dawn, with no birds singing, a few coyotes yodeling the tune of their people, and a hooty owl in the distance calling for some ungodly reason.  It can be loud in the country!!  When I awaken so early, I hope to return to my reverie, BUT!  my stupid ADD kicks in and, well, basically, one sheep, two sheep, cow, turtle, duck, old McDonald had a farm, heeeey Macarena, shut up owls and coyotes!!!

My son called me not knowing I was asleep.  He said he had something important to ask me.  I mumbled, “O.K., honey.  I hope I have an answer for you.”  He asked, “Mom, what is blue and not heavy?”  I tried to get alert, but that wasn’t going to happen.  I said, “I don’t know.  What?”  He snickered saying, “The answer is LIGHT BLUE.”  I told him I loved him, I think I might have sworn, and hung up.

The world of German-English translations gifts us with a myriad of humor. Take for instance the German term “Nacktschnecke,” which amusingly translates to “naked snail” in English, referring to what we know as a “slug”. However, the real gem is arguably the German word for eyeglasses – “Nasenfahrrad”. This whimsical term literally converts to “nose bicycle”, an amusing and oddly fitting description.  However, the word “Brille” is more commonly used for glasses.  I like NASENFAHRRAD better.  It’s like a word playing in my mouth.

Math can be linguistically challenging in German.  Here is an example:  Neun-hundert-neun-und-neun-zigtausend-neun-hundert-neun-und-neunzig which is 999,999.  Here’s another one:

Sieben-hundert-sieben-und-siebzig-tausend-sieben-hundert-sieben-und-siebzig which is 777,777.  I wouldn’t want to count in German.  Without the hyphens I put in so you’d know how to pronounce the word (ha!), these are spelled as ONE WORD!   My tongue would be exhausted and so would my fingers.

Think this through:  People who can’t communicate think everything is an argument.  People who lack accountability think everything is an attack.  Don’t argue with piggish people.  They like it too much, and you’ll get dirty as they sling their “mud” at you.

I had a fake representative of a power company show up at my door.  He started his spiel.  I asked him if he’d met Jesus.  Then, I showed him my 125 pound Rottweiller who smiles.  He said, “Oh god!”  I said, “No, Jesus.”

I had the biggest urge to sing THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT.  It was just a whim away, a whim away, a whim away.                     Peace and smiles to you.  Trudy🏫🏫🏫

🏊 2024 August FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

 

As life goes on, we all find there are trials and tribulations.  We question why? and question if we are going to get through them.  Oh my, I’ve had my share, and sometimes think I’m being included in another’s.  Then I remember a Bible verse which is so true----Ephesians 3:20----“There will always be trials and tribulations in life, but God will carry you through every storm in your life.  He will give you strength to make it.” 

I saw this post and believed it was intended for me, too:  “Today I learned that ostriches often walk around and then forget where they are going.  Today, I, also learned that my spirit animal may be an ostrich!”  My mother told me one day, “Any more, I have to say all the way down the steps what I’m going down to the basement to get a can of something for.”  I thought, at the time, it was kind of silly.  Of course, I was in my 30s at that time.  Now, I’m 79 and find her statement rings so true every time I go down stairs to the larder to get something from the food shelves or little refrigerator.  I don’t tell my kids about it, though.  I don’t want them to think I’m silly- minded.

Unconditional love is NOT unconditional tolerance.  Boy, that is for sure.  I’ve had one of mine tell me they didn’t think I had unconditional love for them.  I told them I did, but I wouldn’t tolerate their sassiness which borders on disrespect.  That gave them something to think about.

Aint Daisy was busy in her kitchen when I knocked on the screen door.  “Come on in, chile.  I see ye there.  I’ve made some pies and am takin’ ‘em outta the oven.  I think there’s a cherry one, too, fer ye to take home,” she said with a little grin.  She knows cherry pie is my favorite.  “Jess set yerself down on that chair and chat a while with me.  I’ll fix some tea, and there’s a few cinnamon rolls over yonder.  So, get ‘em an’ two plates and forks.  We’ll have a snack.”  I did as she suggested, sat down, and drooled at the thought of her deliciousness about to come to my soul.  “So, what brings ye here t’day, chile?” she asked with a smile on her face.  “Oh, I’ve been mentally wrestling with something which just doesn’t seem to get solved.  Dang Aint Daisy, it just keeps coming back stressing me each time.  So, I thought I’d talk the issue over with someone I know will understand.”  I told her of the reoccurring issue.  She listened intently, as she always does.  “Ye know, chile, this issue jess seems to be a-wantin’ to teach you something.  There is always another way t’ solve a problem, even when it keeps a-comin’ back,” she wisely said.  “Oh shoot, looky there, it’s rainin’ again.  Well, I’ll jess sit and wait for somethin’ to be lovely about the rain.”  I wondered what she was meaning, so I asked her.  “Whall, I’ve learnt that it takes the rain to have an’ see a rainbow.  Don’tcha think that’s sorta what’s a-happenin’ with yer repeating issue?  Look for the rainbow, sweet thang, always look for the rainbow.”  I couldn’t help the moisture which ran from my eyes; she is always so on point with her wisdom.  ‘More of it, from my Lady of the Holler, was given to me.

Brenduhh came over all in a huff.  "I want to talk to you about what the principal at Mac's school said to me!"  she blustered.  "Alright.  Tell me.  It seems you're pretty upset about it," I encouraged.  "Well!!!!  I got a phone call from Mr. Peeps just a bit ago.  He told me, 'Mac is causing a problem at school.  He talks too much, and is contrary about doing what he's asked.'  I listened then told him my thoughts," she said.  "O.K., what thoughts did you tell Mr. Peeps?" I asked.  "I told him, 'He does the same thing here at home.  Do I call you about it?' What do you think, Trute?"  I replied, "Hmmm, you do have a valid point, but I don't think that was the answer he was hoping to get.  How about some tea and a muffin?"  Thank goodness she didn't notice my eyes rolling.

I've been wondering, if there is a highway to hell, are there speed bumps, yield signs, road blocks, speed limits, and/or traffic jams?

There are days I feel I'm riding through life full-steam ahead----well, as much steam as I can muster.  The mind is quick and the body just laughs at my thoughts of running, jogging, or sometimes even moving a lot.  My mind is a sadist.

I’ve mentioned phobias in another column.  Some are rational and some are not.  This one made me chuckle.

ANATIDAEPHOBIA (a-na-t-die-phobia) is the fear of a duck watching you.  It’s not quackery, either.

Here is some strong advice:  If you’re buying a watch on Amazon and it says, “You can swim with it on”, make sure you have known how to swim before you ever wore it.  This sounds like something Brenduhh would do.

Dogs and young children are pretty good assessors of a human’s intent and/or aura.  Don’t worry if other humans don’t like you; be concerned if a dog or young child doesn’t like you.  Children will cry or retreat; dogs have teeth they will use in a flash.  Hmm, come to think of it, I’ve seen a child bite an adult for no apparent reason.  Soooo, be cautious around both.

Toxic people “play games” and usually not fairly.  To win dealing with these “creatures”, just don’t play their game.  Silence and a strong stare are such strong opponents and can give a message to the most determined.

The color blue is relatively uncommon in fruits and vegetables because there are few natural pigments that produce a blue hue in plant tissues.  There are blue carrots and potatoes (but they didn’t come naturally), though, and of course, blueberries.  Red cabbage can turn blue when it is mixed with an acid or a base. The pigment turns red in acidic environments with a pH less than 7 and the pigment turns bluish-green in alkaline (basic), environments with a pH greater than 7.

I was having “words” with one of our cats.  She always thinks running in front of me will get her what she wants.  She has beautiful dark fur which is difficult to see her sometimes.  Recently she ran in front of me, again for the quadruple-illonth time.  I almost tripped over her.  I snarled, “O.K., Miss Flulffy Butt!!!  Do you really want to take me on?  I’m so much bigger than you and would flatten you with one fall.  She looked at me, did a back flip, raised her back hair, showed me her fangs, spread and waved her “murder mittens with daggars”.  I growled back, “Hmmm, you DO have a cautious idea.  Soooo, I’m calling a truce.”  She licked her paw and strolled away as if to say, “One for the fluffy butt, zip for the human……again.”

I was talking with my dear friend, Melodie, in FL.  We were comparing the weather between IL and FL.  She said, “I’m thinking about going to the ranch today, but it depends on the heat.  The humidity here is just awful.”  I said, “I remember when I visited you in July years ago.  I could hardly breathe outside.”  She told me it was even worse now.  I said, “Gods, I remember when climate change was summer, fall, winter, and spring.  Now it seems like there are half season, but, of course, FL has HOT, HOTTER, and OH HELL.  Then there is HOT, WET BLANKET ON YOUR FACE season.”  She laughed and mentioned “boob sweat” which I replied, “That’s called ‘humiditties’.”   She laughed again and told me her coffee was all over her desk.

When my husband let his nefarious sister put her stuff, which we questioned where it all came from, in our garage as their mother looked on, I said, "Load all that back in the truck. It's not going to be stored here." Their mother said, "NO!! Half this house is my son’s!"  I told her, "You're correct-----the floors are mine and the ceilings are his. Get the stuff off MY HALF!!!" Truck got loaded.

My friend was having a rough day and told me she thought she'd lose her mind.  I told her, "Remember, Moses was once a basket case."  She laughed, which broke her tension.  Then, while she was chuckling, I told her, "If God can light a bug's butt, imagine what He can do for you."  She had to hold on to the table so she'd not fall over.  I'm so glad there were a few moments of levity for her.

What do you call the wife of a hippie?  Mississ Hippie.

Brenduhh asked me if I thought she was smart.  I told her, “Wisdom has always been chasing you, BUT you were faster, girl.”

Peace and smiles for another month.  Trudy 👀

🎆 2024 July FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

Triskaidekaphobia (tris-ky-dek-uh-FO-be-uh) noun Fear of the number 13.  [from Greek treiskaideka (thirteen), from treis (three) +kai (and) + deka (ten) + phobia (fear).]   I’ve always liked the sound of this word and the way it feels on my tongue as I say it.  It’s something about the flowing of the Tr, Sk, and K sounds that makes me feel like my fore-tongue and back-tongue are skipping in my mouth.  Hmm, that reason almost sounds like something Calvin would say to Hobbes.  I love that cartoon panel, and the philosophy of both of them.  I found another word and tongue-stumbled over it a few times before I got it correctly said.  It takes a bit of thinking and planning when you start to pronounce it.  Do not be discouraged, it will trip off your tongue like peanut butter!  Perspicaciousness (puhr-spi-KAY-shuhs-nes) noun.  Keeness of perception and discernment.  [From Latin perspicere (to see through), from per- (through) + -spicere, combining form of specere (to look).  Ultimately from the Indo-European root spek- (to observe), which is also the ancestor of such words as:  suspect, spectrum, bishop (literally an overseer), espionage, despise, telescope, spectator, speculum, and spectacles.

A young engineer was leaving the office at 5:45 p.m.  He found the CEO standing in front of a shredder with a piece of paper in his hand.  “Listen,” said the CEO, “this is a very sensitive and important document and my secretary is not here.  Can you make this thing work?”  “Certainly, “said the young engineer.  He turned on the machine, inserted the paper, and pressed the start button.  “Excellent, excellent!!” said the CEO as his paper disappeared inside the machine.  “I just need one copy, thank you,” he said. The lesson here is:  Never, never, ever assume that your boss knows what they’re doing.

"The reason the plural of GOOSE is GEESE, but the plural of moose is not meese is because goose derives from an ancient Germanic word undergoing strong declension (the changing in the form of the word), in the patter of foot/feet and tooth/teeth, where in oo is mutated to ee.  However, 'moose' is a Native American word added to the English lexicon only some 400 years ago, and lacks the etymological reason to be pluralized in that way."  Alrighty then!!  So, is the plural of PAPOOSE, papeese or papooses?  And, if the plural of HOUSE is HOUSES, why isn't the plural of MOUSE mouses?  I wonder about these things, y'all.

Life can be a bit unfair at times.  I recently was talking to a professional trying to sort out some issues and move on.  The professional told me, "When times seem too tough to deal with, take a step back and look at the situation."  I told them I'd done that, but still felt a bit defeated.  Then, they said, "Well, when you feel defeated, but want to conquer that, take a step forward."  I thought for a moment and said, "So, to sum up your advice:  when feeling defeated take a step back; when wanting to conquer it, take a step forward.  Alrighty then!!!  Seems I'm doing the cha-cha and when in doubt just DANCE!!"  The person told me they thought I was going to be all right.

I was reading an article about things some bosses do which make their employees want to quit.  BANG!!! An illuminated light bulb when off in my memory.  I had one job which I enjoyed, but my boss was a troll.  At my evaluation meeting with the manager of the company, his written evaluation of me was presented.  She read it and asked me to explain why he reported his observations.  I told her, "He says I'm often late.  He is the one often late because I always arrive 30-45 minutes early.  He says I dress too professionally.  I'm in a professional position so I believe I should appear the part, and besides, my appearance looks better than the dirty sweats he wears.  He says I'm too observant and it makes some uncomfortable including him.  They are uncomfortable because they know they're doing something wrong and have been seen doing it.  He says I knew too much about other clients who aren't mine.  In the initial job interview, he told me I am expected to know about ALL the clients and their challenges in this place, as well as mine."  There was a bit of silence, my boss was red-faced and uneasy.  The manager of the company told him he may leave because she wanted to talk to me.  He left muttering.  I was asked if all I said was true and why would I say so much against him.  I told her it was and that I'd rather be teaching than to have a supervisor as hypocritical and unprofessional as he; this was my last day. I, also, told her that I knew in two days I would be back to teaching because I'd been contacted by a school for a long-term teaching position. I learned a few days later that he was relieved of his "services".  "Truth is hate to those who hate the truth."

I was shopping at Walmart when a person came up to me and tried to move into my area.  When I told them I was in that place, they proceeded to be rude and abrasive.  I just watched their mouth and waited for my opportunity to tell them what was.  Finally they stopped talking.  I smiled and said, "I don't know how you can pronounce the very few words in your entire vocabulary with your summer teeth----summer there, summer not."  As the person was processing (well, I think that’s what the brain activity was doing), I then got the items I was looking at and moved on.

Living isn’t measured in years.  It’s measured in moments---the good ones and the not-so-good ones; the laughter and the tears; the “hurrah”s and the “oh crap”s.  The ones we treasure are like smoke in a gentle breeze---seen and then drifting away.  The sum of all our choices makes up who we are.

“Time is:  Too slow for those who wait, Too swift for those who fear, Too long for those who grieve, Too short for those who rejoice, But for those who love---Time is Eternity.”  Henry van Dyke

I decided to stop by Aint Daisy’s to check on her.  She’d been a bit under the weather.  As I approached the front door, I could hear a familiar voice talking to her.  I knocked and was invited in.  “Come on in here, chile.  Set yer self down and I’ll fix us all some pie and tea.”  She excused herself and went into the kitchen.  I asked Betty Jo how she was and how the family was.  She started telling me all sorts of things (actually bragging) about each child (I knew those kids).  Aint Daisy came in with a tray of pie and tea and sat it down on the coffee table.  Betty Jo continued her chatter (bragging tales) as she ate her pie and sipped her tea.  I looked at Aint Daisy, she just smiled at me and continued to eat and sip.  Betty Jo mentioned she had to go do something important (more bragging) and didn’t want to be late.  She said her good-bye and thank you; then, left.  I looked at Aint Daisy and asked, “We know 90% of what she said was just the opposite of what really is.  Why does she do that?”  Aint Daisy smiled.  “Chile, sometimes the real is too much t’ bear for some folks.  Betty Jo is that.  It don’t dawn on her that we know her actions tell us more than her words.  My Mama always said, ‘Understand folks by their actions, and you’ll never be fooled by their words.’”  She smiled, again, with a twinkle in her eyes.  Ahhh, more wisdom from the Lady of the holler and her mama.

Brenduhh came over to tell me her opinion of how I looked in a flowered dress I’d bought.  I put it on and greeted her as she came through the open door.  “Well, hi there, Trude.  How are you today?” she asked.  “I bought this dress and wonder what you think of it on me.  So, tell me, please,” I said.  Brenduhh has a way with words that can be a bit confusing and non-committal at times.  “Hmmm, turn around and let me see the back.  O.K. turn back around.  I think the dress is pretty with all the flowers.  You wear them well.  In fact, I just love seeing all the flowers in a garden in one place with all 12 rows stretched out.”  I think that was her “tactful” way of telling me the Burpee’s flower catalog had nothing on my dress’s display with me in it.  The dress became a blouse later that day.

Ohhhhh, I found a new word to use (if I can remember it)!!!  NEPHELOCOCCYGIA: The act of seeking and finding shapes in clouds.  Now to help you pronounce this word:  Neh-fell-o-cox-see-gia .  Enjoy spitting this one out at a party.  

As with everyone, I was having a rather difficult day with my feelings.  I shared my discouragement with a dear friend after she said, with love, “Wanna share what’s going on?”  I told her, “So many things.  I usually have it all together when in actuality, today, I feel like my “together” is more like dried PLAYDOUGH on the floor and in a shag carpet.  It sits there crumbled, stepped on, being sworn at by a distraught mother, and useless.  It’s getting to be stink bug season, and they want to come into MY house causing me to question God’s rationale as to why He created them, other than to annoy me and stink up my vacuum.  My left hip hurts due to Arthur-I-Is who came uninvited two or three weeks ago and won’t leave when I tell him to.  So, with gnawing discomfort I’m impeded in movement which distresses me, and I swear, and I know God heard me and put another black check by my name and moved me up on the ‘nasty mouth, naughty girl’ list.”  She said words of comfort, but what made me laugh out loud was her, “Oh sweetie, you crack me up with your way to plow through it all and describe it causing me to reel with laughter.”