👀 2023 June FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

 

During my marriage to my Beloved---me for the second time and him for the first---he’d mention he’d found out how educational marriage was.  He told me, “With both of us being teachers, it seems I’m finding out how educational this reunion can be.  You’ve taught me:  toilet paper is best replaced when the roll is empty; grocery shopping is to be done on Sunday through Thursday with a list and full stomach; and even there is a right way to put a carton of milk in the fridge!”  Well, bless his heart.

Aint Daisy was on her porch rocking and humming.  “Good afternoon, Aint Daisy.  It’s good to see you and hear you humming,” I said as I stepped up on the porch.  “Do you mind if I sit a while and enjoy your company?” I asked.  “Oh chile, you jes come on up here and set down next to me.  I like havin’ you here, too.”  We chatted for a while, rocked, listened to the “critters” run about, and birds sing.  I noticed a plate of home made cookies on the little table.  She saw me look at them.  “Well, are ye a-wantin’ one or two, or are ye jes gonna look at ‘em, Chile?”  She asked with a chuckle.  I told her I was a little hungry and would like to have two.  She looked at her watch and saw it was going on 4:00.   “Oh my lands!!  It’s a-goin’ on supper time.  You come on in and have a bite with me.  I’ll bring the cookies, too,” she said as she started opening the screen door.  I followed her and asked if I could help her in the kitchen.  She gave me some things to do and told me to “set down right cheer in this chair”.  I’d set the table with all the necessary things and sat down.  She had macaroni and cheese, stewed tomatoes, green beans fixed the best way---her way, and some home made cinnamon apple sauce.  “Oh Aint Daisy, this is one of my favorite meals.  Thank you for going to the trouble of fixing this delicious food and for sharing with me.  You are so kind,” I said to her.  She smiled and told me, “Ain’t no trouble at all, sweet girl.  I like yer company.  There are two old sayin’s---Share and it comes back to you ten-fold; and friends who plant kindness gather love.”  “I couldn’t agree more, Aint Daisy,” I told her.  Ahh, more wisdom from The Lady of the Holler.

I went over to Brenduhh’s house to borrow a hammer I needed quickly.  She came to the door after I’d rung the bell about 4 times.  “Hey girl, I need to borrow a hammer real fast.  I hope you can find it,” I said in a hurry.  “Yes, come on out in the garage.  I know right where it is,” she assured me.  Well, we got out there in what I call “the den of inequity” due to all the stuff she has out there.  Lordy, I think a mouse would get lost trying to find some bait.  She pulled out things---talked about them; lifted others---talked about them, too; moved something about 6 times after explaining its history, then finally found it.  It took about 10 minutes.  Remember I said I needed it quickly?  Brenduhh doesn’t know what “quickly” means.  I think if she’d gone any slower a sloth would beat her in a race or she operates in reverse.  Maybe it’s both.

I’m not a gad-about----someone who goes out a lot.  I enjoy staying home; after all, we/I worked hard to pay for it, and it costs to live/be there whether I’m there or not.  I enjoy the “fruits of our/my labor”.  My “gypsy” daughter thinks I need to get out more and go more places.  At 78 years old, I need to have restrooms close by and able to use one sooner than someone who is 50.  I told her I DO leave the house at least 5 times a week to take her niece/sister to work about 2 miles away.  Her measured retort was, “Wow!!  Soon you’ll have to resole your shoes!”  She’s such a smarty pants.

Last winter on a cold, rainy week-end, a 40-something friend asked me what I was doing during the week-end.  I told them, "Sweetie, I'm 77 years old; arthritis is taking residence in my joints.  I wrapped myself in fleece and heating pad while I nibbled on dark chocolate M&M pieces."

Mr. and Mrs. Zippah had twin daughters Teeh Doodaah and Teeh Dayh.  They always were together, even in the same classes in school.  Finally, the principal had to intervene.  They were placed in separate classes.  It seems the original teacher had a lot of difficulty calling roll, not laughing, and then maintaining discipline afterwards.  She always called the students’ names last to first.  It seems the students, after the girls’ names were called, would burst into song.  She said, “Zippah, Tee Dodaah; Zippah, Teeh Dayh.”  The students would sing out, “My, oh my, what a wonderful day.  Plenty of sunshine heading my way….”, get up, clap and dance.

Brenduhh came over all bandaged, bruised, and walking slowly due to pain.  “What in the world happened to you?”  I inquired.  “Well, I was crossing the road and stopped to admire some clouds.  There was a tiny, tiny truck coming toward the intersection I was standing in.”  “Why didn’t you get out of the way?” I asked incredulously.  In the typical Brenduhh thinking she said, “Well, when I saw it, it wasn’t all that big, but when it got to where I was, it grew so big I didn’t have time to move out of the way!”  “Hmm, imagine that!” I said.

I admire those who spoke another language first and then had to learn English.  The English language is moderately difficult with Chinese being the most difficult.  With that said, imagine what it would be like to try to learn English by just reading it.  I look at the "ough" words.  That sound has "uff (as in tough)", "Oh" (as in dough), "aw" (as in thought), "ow" (as in bough), "oo" (as in through), "off" (as in cough), "up" (as in hiccough).  Then there is YACHT.  Looking at the way it's spelled, it should be pronounced "YAH-CH-T"; but, it is pronounced "YAH-T". Another is CWM, pronounced "COOM".  I think I'd give up about then.

I saw a message on the Department of Illinois Transportation sign.  It said, “Texting and driving is never wreck amended.”  What a great play on words.

A friend was having a difficult time adjusting to a sad happening in their life.  The showed me this: What’s done is done, What’s gone is gone.  One of the best life’s lessons is learning how to let go and move on.  It’s okay to look back at your memory but never let the past stop you from moving forward.

I told them this was true; however, one needs to stop and rest when moving forward. Thus, reflection on fond memories revitalizes and comforts, which promotes more forward action.

I was walking in the woods surrounding my house.  I saw a tree which had encapsulated a small, brick chimney.  I knew trees would do this to anything in the growth area.  I thought maybe it was an abandoned Keebler factory.  I walked around the tree looking for cookies.  There were none to be found.  I guess the elves ate them all.

I had a phone call from a fella who, with a very pronounced East Indian accent tell me his name was Tom.  He asked me how I was and told me he wanted to talk to me about my medical coverage.  I told him, “I’m very angry.  First, your name is NOT Tom.  It’s a name with 17 or more letters in it.  Second, I have asked that my name be removed from the call list, and obviously it hasn’t.  Third, I promise if you call me again I will talk to you about your car warranty!!”  He hung up.  Imagine that.

If Bobby Flay of the Food Network had a daughter, I think he should name her Sue.

When one of my five children was young, they had misbehaved.  They needed to be redirected in a positive way so their self-esteem wouldn’t be compromised.  Well, that’s what a well-known psychologist wrote in their book.  I call it “disciplined”.  The child argued as I told them, “Kindly put your buttocks on the third step of the stairs.”  The kid looked at me and said, “What??”  At that point, I became irritated and snarled, “Go put your butt on the step and stay there before I smack it!!”  They understood that statement for some reason.

“Some cause happiness wherever they go; some whenever they go.”  Oscar Wilde

Peace and smiles to you for another month.  Trudy 😃