♉♊ 2023 May FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

April showers bring May flowers, so it’s said.  May, also, brings sneezing, sniffling, coughing, watery eyes, and irritation due to pollen.  Just when I think I can open the house, along comes the pollen searching for a place to land like on my nose hairs, eye brows, clothing, head hair, furniture, and other places.  The blessings of May are the lovely flowers and warm sun.  I’ll enjoy those as I sniff, sneeze, cough, and dab my watery eyes.  Claritin is my friend for a month.

I was over at Brenduhh’s watching her make a meat loaf.  As she told me about the rest of the ingredients she puts in hers, she came to a glass bottle with dark liquid in it.  I asked her what that was.  She told me, “It’s wash yer sister sauce.”  I mentioned to her, “It’s usually pronounced---‘wus teh shire’.”  She got firm telling me, “wash yer sister sauce” was the way to say it.  I’m glad I know that ‘vas immer’ in German means ‘whatever’, and she doesn’t because I uttered the sentiment.

An author submitted a manuscript to an editor asking him, “Would you please publish the enclosed manuscript or return it without delay, as I have other irons in the fires?”  The manuscript was soon sent back from the curt editor with his terse note, “Put this with your other irons.”  This is a good example of an archaic word---OFFSCOURING, which means, “Rejected matter; that which is vile or despised”.  His reply probably took her to PUCKERATION---a state of mental agitation.

I stopped by Aint Daisy’s for a bit of chat, pie, and sweet tea.  I knocked on the door and was invited in “to set a spell”.  I saw a sweet friend of ours sitting in a chair across from Aint Daisy, they were in an involved conversation.  “Well, howdy, chile.  You jes go on in the kitchen and git yerself some pie an’ tea.  Emma Jean has come to chat a bit a-cause her heart is so heavy ‘bout her daddy’s sickness and bad memory problems.”  I responded with, “Well, if anyone can cheer up a wounded soul and give words of comfort it is you, Aint Daisy”, and I went on into the kitchen. She smiled.  After a bit, Emma Jean left.   Aint Daisy came into the kitchen and gently said, “I feel so sorry for her.  She’s jes full of troublin’ feelings about why such a kind man would have to go through all he’s a-going through.  She’s jes frazzled like an old cloth and cain’t sleep or eat much.”  “May I ask what you told her?”  I questioned.  “Whall, I told her, ‘Yer question has no acceptable answer for you. What is acceptable is those who love him ask that question, feel his discomfort, and are present even if he doesn't realize or recognize ‘em.  Sweetie, you are stronger than you think, but even oaks break under a certain amount of pressure. Willows bend with the pressure. So, try to bend, like a willow, and unload your sadness from time to time.  Nothing yer a-feeling is unnecessary or shameful.”  Wisdom from the Lady of the Holler.

As I mentioned about May is here, I forgot to mention it, to me, signals getting out my t-shirts to wear.  I have one I like a lot.  It is pink, has a crown on it, and says, “You may call me “QUEEN TRUDY; YOUR HIGHNESS IS A BIT MUCH”.  Another one is black with bold, white letters saying, “I HAVEN’T BEEN THE SAME SINCE THAT HOUSE FELL ON MY SISTER”.  I like it a lot, too.  I wore it to school one day when I was teaching.  A stuffy administrator saw it and told me he didn’t think it was appropriate.  I told him, “Some would disagree.”  I guess he was thinking about his sister.

I got to wondering where the term “t-shirt” came from.  Here is what I found:  “A T-shirt, or tee shirt, was originally worn only by men as an undershirt. Now it is defined as a short-sleeved, collarless undershirt or any outer shirt of a similar design. It got its name because it resembles the capital letter T in shape.”  That’s acceptable, but what about a long-sleeved shirt?  I don’t hear it being called “An M-shirt” because it looks like a capital M.

There were a few days in April that were not the most desirable.  It seemed I kept running in the same direction and couldn’t leave, I had no control, just about all activities were distasteful, and I was drained.  I compare those days to a colonoscopy prep drink.

Do you know what American English is called?  It is called “YANKEESE”.  You’re welcome.

Have you ever noticed some people want you to tip-toe around their feelings as they do the kicking conga on yours?  Well, I can dance, too, and the can-can is one of my favorites.

When I was younger, my mother would occasionally as me, “Have you earned your salt today?”  I didn’t know the meaning of that, but surmised it was important.  During my years of studying, I found out that salt was a precious commodity back in ancient Roman times.  The Roman soldiers were paid with an allowance which enabled them to buy salt.  The allowance was called a salarium.  Through the years, the word ‘salarium’ became ‘salary’.  So, the question my mother presented to me actually meant, “Have you earned your salary today?” or “Has your work been good enough to have a salary?”  I’m sure some of you have worked with one or more who have demonstrated their salary should be a pinch of dust, and some a wheelbarrow of salt.

A young woman was pulled over for speeding.  As the Texas State Trooper Officer walked to her car window, flipping open his ticket book, she said, “I bet you’re going to sell me a ticket to the Texas State Police Ball.”  The trooper replied, “Texas State Troopers don’t have balls.”  There was a moment of silence while she smiled, and he realized what he’d just said.  He then closed his book, got back in his patrol car and left.  She was laughing too hard to start her car. 

I asked for strength and God gave me difficulties to make me strong.  I asked for wisdom and God gave me problems to learn to solve.  I asked for prosperity and God gave me a brain and brawn to work.  I asked for courage and God gave me dangers to overcome.  I asked for love and God gave me people to help.  I asked for favors and God gave me opportunities.  I received nothing I wanted.  I received everything I needed. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

I'd had quite a battle of wills with Tara when she was 9.  I went into the living room, collapsed into my leather chair, and breathed a sigh.  Guy, my beloved, was in his chair next to mine, looked over, touched my hand and said, "Honey, you didn't lose, now did you?"  I chuckled at what he thought was important and said, "Only my mind, m'love, only my mind."  These "battles of wills" have not diminished, but there is an element of possible reasoning and conceptual thinking.  She's 26, now, but we still have some "intense fellowships" from time to time.  Sometimes I have to laugh to myself because a long time ago, I told her biological mother, my daughter, during a tense session, "I hope you have a child just like you."  Little did I know I be raising that "child just like you" and dealing with those times, again.  Be careful what you hope for.  Please know, she and her brother have been such a blessing to me.

I know a person who had a lot of heartache to deal with in a year.  She posted: “The greatest thing I can ever do is become the best out of the worst I’ve been through”, and she did just that.  I sent her a note saying, “Strength from love and love from strength has come your way”, which assured and confirmed to her she was not alone and that others who loved her were beside her in person and spirit.

Peace, blessings, and smiles ---------Trudy

🎕💧 2023 April FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

 

Diamonds are the stone for April.  They are made from coal which has been under pressure for more years than you are old.  They are Earth’s hardest natural substance which are formed about 100 miles under the earth and are carried to the surface by volcanic activity.  They are the only gems made of only ONE element---carbon.  They are found in ever color of the rainbow.  They are a symbol of eternal love, trust, and faith.  They do not know how precious they are.  If you have been under pressure for a long time, imagine yourself as a diamond.  You will survive, and are precious to someone.

Brenduhh came over all irritated.  I asked her what the problem was.  She said, “I don’t know about anyone else, but I think I'm done with relationships for a while. I'm tired of the games, the crap, the lies, and the disrespect. I want something that's real, always have, but what I get are guys who want to play with my heart and pull me along when they can't be honest. This generation needs to grow up!!  She had a very valid point as I have noticed how insincere a lot of the dating people are.  I tried to soothe her ruffled feathers with these words, “It is difficult to find someone who deserves you and your goodness. It's better to be alone than to be with someone who does not appreciate you. Besides, are you really alone if you are in good company with yourself?”  She looked at me.  I could tell she was thinking.  “So who do I talk to if I’m alone?” she asked.  I said, “How about yourself?”  She mentioned she didn’t want to sound silly.  I asked her if she would like more tea. 

If you’ve ever studied a foreign language, you know how challenging it can be at times, especially with the spellings of some words.  Imagine how someone whose first language was NOT English feels when they see some of our words and the spellings.  Here are some examples:  Colonel, champagne, convalesce, eerie, doorjamb, asthma, indict, knead, queue, zucchini, hiccough.  The last one brings me to the “ough” words.  Plough, dough, cough, bought, rough, through.  Six different sounds for the same four letters of OUGH.  Yeesh!!!!

Have you ever remembered what you wanted to be when you grew up?  I don’t think many wanted to be a trash collector, outhouse cleaner, liquid fertilizer distributor/applicator, paper bag maker, bean counter, or crime scene cleaner.  Some people just fell into the job they have.  I hope the outhouse cleaner didn’t.  I wanted to be a judge.  My Beloved told me it was best I didn’t become one.  He said, “Tootsie, only the Queen of Hearts could get away with saying, ‘Off with their heads!’  It wouldn’t fly in a courtroom.”

I’ve met a lot of people in my long life.  As I listened to their life stories, I discovered some of the most interesting and amazing people I’ve met had the most hurtful, soul-wrenching, and painful experiences.  They’ve taught me strength, optimism, and perseverance.  You never know whose life story will teach you something good, nor the impact of your life story to another.  People come into your life for a reason.  Some stay for a moment; some for a little while; and some for a very long time.  Each one gives you something you can benefit from in your life.

Every one of you is richer than you think.  Here is why:  You have someone who loves you, a few good friends, food on your table, clothes on your back, and a roof over your head.  And if you have a cell phone, well-----“HELLO!!”

Education will never become as expensive as stupidity.  Some laugh at stupidity.  I guess it’s mindless entertainment to them.  I see it as dangerous----to you and to others around you.

No matter how badly someone needs to be strangled, it is still illegal.

As I’ve aged, 78 now, it’s become perfectly clear why the very early hours of the morning are called “the wee hours.”

My friend’s hubby was having back pain.  He went to an acupuncture professional and found relief.  My friend asked me if I’d ever had acupuncture.  I told her, “No, I never have, but I’ve been on pins and needles at times.”

My friend, Melodie, took me to one of her favorite furniture stores which specialized in different and unusual chairs and bean bag chairs.  She told me she was going to apply for the phone answering position.  When I saw the name of the store, I told her, “You won’t last here an hour at that job.  You’d laugh yourself silly.”  The store’s name was SHACK OF SIT.

One of the duties of the U.S. president is to greet and make small talk with huge numbers of people in receiving lines. At one such gathering, President F.D. Roosevelt became bored with exchanging little pleasantries. He didn’t think anyone was paying attention to what he said anyway. To prove his point, as he took each patron’s hand, he said “I murdered my grandmother this morning.” Most people smiled and moved on. Only one man actually listened to what Roosevelt was saying—and quickly responded, “She certainly had it coming!”  I had to laugh imaging his twinkling eye and the look on the man’s face.  Daddy did stuff like this; Mother always got so embarrassed.  He’d invite people into the house by saying, “Entrails."    I thought it was a riot, and it reminded me of doing the same thing, but not using the same words.   One time I was in a receiving line for some reason and got bored with the “duty” of smiling and shaking hands with people I didn’t even know.  One woman wearing soft pink, whom I knew to be a most insincere individual, was in front of me.  I held out my hand, smiled and said between clenched teeth, “There’s a booger on your nose.”  She kept on babbling and shaking hands.  Later I overheard her tell another I’d told her she looked like a rose.  Another time, same situation, about the 25^th person stood in front of me.  It was a male.  Well, you know one of the statements men dread hearing is, “Your fly is open.”  I couldn’t resist, and said it.  Expecting to watch him express embarrassment, he fooled me and said with a twinkle, “Well, do you see anything important?”  I came back with, “Important to whom?”  I’m glad I am an English major so I could ask a grammatically correct question.

Recently I’ve had a lot of trials and tribulations.  The Bible tells us to give thanks in the good and bad.  Well, that’s been difficult to do because all that has happened reminds me of a colonoscopy prep you have to drink.  Talk about a whole different meaning to “clean as a whistle”.

All experiences teach us something which we can use. A lot of times the experiences give us tools to use when we influence another who is young. Those who learn from their trials, tribulations, and experiences turn all that into wisdom. Wisdom does not come from nothing; and nothing does not come from wisdom.

I had a friend write me a long message.  Although there were some grammatical errors and some sentences needing revision to have more clarity to what she was saying, I understood what she’d written and sent a message back telling her I did.  She messaged me that she was embarrassed because I was an English teacher and she was “just a hillbilly”.  Here was my message to her, “If your written or spoken words do not make sense to the reader or listener, then there is need for embarrassment.”

Two things to remember in life:  #1. Take care of your thoughts when you are alone; and #2. take care of your words when you are with people.