🏊 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 👀