㋈ 2025 September FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

2025 September FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

Don’t bother walking a mile in my shoes; you’d be bored.  Spend 30 seconds in my head.  THAT would be a trip and a half.  I know some, where 30 seconds is too much time, and 30 seconds is not enough time. 

Just a little mind challenge:  How much tow can a tow truck tow, if a tow truck could tow trucks?  

I don’t know why so many are against sugar.  What stood by you when things went wrong and you were sad?  Who stuck with you and didn’t leave in a hurry; and keeps staying hugging your hips and thighs?  What was always there ready to soothe your wounded heart and can even repair a physical wound?  What was there in any state not turning to a brown, slimy mess?  Well, you can bet it wasn’t lettuce. 

My dear friend in Florida, Melodie, sent me a seasonal guide to Florida.  It said, “Spring, Summer, Hurricane, Mosquito, and Boiled Alive in Your Car.”  She said she doesn’t bother to cook on the stove during Summer; the sidewalk to their house does a great job of frying eggs and burgers.  She’s even laid out hot dogs on the lanai of the pool and had them “cooked” to perfection. 

I walked over to Brenduhh’s house to return a kitchen utensil I borrowed.  I ran the doorbell and waited.  While waiting, I noticed a sign she had on the door---“WELCOME—ish.  It depends who you are, and how long you stay.”  She opened the door as I was laughing.  “Hi kiddo.  I like your sign on the door,” I chuckled.  “I’m glad you do.  It really does apply to some people I know and really don’t know, like sales people and others who with silly requests.  You don’t count, Trudy, so come on in.”  I was relieved at her back-handed compliment. 

I had a friend tell me, “I think we are BFF---best friends forever.”  I thought a bit and replied, “I can't be a BFF because nothing is forever other than the word "forever". However, I can be a terrific friend for a long time.” 

I was reading about the behavior, attitude, and “work” of various 10 buzzing, striped insects.  All were rather mild-mannered, minded their own business, left you alone unless you bothered them.  Then, came the yellow jacket.  Complete irrational, aggressive, and radical behavior and attitude.  It usually builds its nest in the ground, usually where you mow your lawn.  It will attack you and keep on stinging you until IT feels like stopping.  Then it calls its buddies to come on and join in the attack while it goes to get a snack, usually something sweet and tasty. It will even chase you!!  It’s known as the bastard of the buzzing, striped insects.  Two things it doesn’t like:  the odor of peppermint and spearmint.  So, in the nice months of being outside, get some peppermint soap and use that when you bathe.  I speak from experience, y’all. 

Grief came knocking at the memory’s door, again.  It fades and then returns.  It hides better in the day, but at night it sits beside me in silence.  So, to deal with it, I go to my memories and there you are, again, and I smile.  What was can still be…in my memory. 

I came across a quote which said:  “The most valuable math you can learn is how to calculate the future cost of your decisions.”   Hmmm. 

Incorrectly is the only word that when spelled right, is still spelled incorrectly.  Look at the word “minimum” written in cursive.  It looks like a trek up and down the inclines of a mountain range. 

I got my electric bill recently.  I think they charged me for the sunlight, moonlight, street light, the light at the lightning bug’s butt, and the light at the end of the tunnel!!  It’s been hot, y’all and the air conditioner has run a lot.  However, I’m in love with Mr. Carrier, the man who invented the air conditioner.  He’s been good to me. 

If you think you can, you can; if you think you can’t, you can’t.  It’s your choice, plain and simple. 

As I approached the screen door of Aint Daisy’s little house, I heard a loud voice saying things which shouldn’t be said.  I soft voice kept trying to get the loud one to calm down, but it was futile.  Out the door stormed one very angry young gal.  I greeted her with, “Hello, Mary Lou,” which was returned with, “Oh go stub your toes!!” and down the stone walk-way she stormed.  I waited a few minutes because I knew Aint Daisy was collecting herself.  “Aint Daisy, it’s Trudy.  May I come in, if you’re all right; well even if you aren’t all right, may I come in?”  I heard her blow her nose and softly say, “Come on in, chile.  I’ll be all right in a bit.  Set yerself down, let me catch m’ breath, an we’ll talk.”  I waited until she spoke again.  “Wahl, I recon you heard all that ruckus from Mary Lou.  She was mighty angry with me a-cause I wouldn’t tell her she was right about something.  I told her she might wanna rethink her actions and words to the person she was angry with.  I encouraged her to apologize t’ them.  That’s when she done blew her cork, and bellered like an old bull at me.  I recon since I wasn’t gonna side with her and jess kept quiet, she decided t’ leave.”  There were some sniffs and patting tears away from her eyes.  I went over and gave her a gentle hug.  “Aint Daisy, you’re the wisest lady I know.  Your advice is always correct and profound.  How did you keep so calm when she was so stormy?  I would have blown up at her for yelling at me, especially when she came to me for advice.”  There was silence, the smoothing of the flowered apron, and another dab to her eyes with her hankie.  “Chile, I haint regretful about being good to her in the middle of her blowin’ her cork.  My behavior says every thing about me; and her behavior says enough about her.  The good book says, ‘A soft answer turns away wrath.’  So, I practiced that.  I recon it works a’cause that storm of wrath turned away and blew out my front door.”  There was a soft chuckle from the wise lady of the holler. 

When I was teaching, I had many conferences with parents.  The ones which stood out were the conferences with parents who thought their child could do no wrong, and I was the culprit.  One parent in particular challenged me every time we met.  Weeks before the meeting, the school installed auditory and visual equipment for the teachers to use in their classrooms as an experiment.  Because this particular student was known for their behavior and inappropriate word choices, I engaged the system before he came in for class.  Other teachers told me he was “really cranked up today.”  Sure enough, he came into the classroom in a rancid mood and was looking for someone to verbally attack.  Guess who was chosen??!!  I told him he was to go to the deans’ office and gave him a pass with a message to the dean to contact me a.s.a.p.  A conference with mother was arranged with the dean and security officer present, too.  I verbally presented what had happened and told of what he’d said.  She denied it all saying, “You’re lying because he doesn’t act like that.”  Trying to remain calm, I played the recording of his “performance”.  Then, I told her, “These are the cold hard facts and proof that your child said and did what has just been presented to you.  Reality can be beneficial; delusions can be detrimental.  I have nothing to lose by telling you the truth; you have plenty to lose by not believing it.”  With that, I excused myself and let the dean and security officer talk with her.  I’d had it. 

A man walks into a pharmacy and wanders up and down the aisles. The sales girl notices him and asks him if she can help him. He answers that he is looking for a box of tampons for his wife. She directs him down the correct aisle, and a few minutes later, he deposits a huge bag of cotton balls and a ball of string on the counter.   She says, confused, "Sir, I thought you were looking for some tampons for your wife? He answers, "You see, it's like this, yesterday, I sent my wife to the store to get me a carton of cigarettes, and she came back with a tin of tobacco and some rolling papers; because it's so much cheaper. So, I figure if I have to roll my own ..... so does she." 

Guy, my beloved, was telling me about a friend of his who had studied law, and while in college he could only afford pork and beans to eat.  He started to say more, but I interjected, “Well, with his chosen profession that was the perfect thing to eat, especially with the results of that product.”  Guy growled, “I WASN'T finished talking.”  I innocently said, “Well, you took a breath, so I thought you were.” 

“Always forgive your enemies; it really irritates them.”  Oscar Wilde   Do illiterate people get the full effect of alphabet soup?  These are just a few of the things I think about from time to time.  So, until next time, it’s been a grand time to spend time with you.  Trudy J