👻👻 2021 October FROM MY PERSPECTIVE 👻👻

It’s October already so that means it’s Happy Hallowgivingstmas.  In September the stores started putting out the holiday “stuff”.  I say, “stuff” because it is not just one thing, it’s so much.  I think a card should be made which says, “Happy Hallowgivingstmas-kkah-zaa”.  It would cover Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa all at once.  Of course, spell check would go nutz and keep trying to auto-correct it leaving the printer person almost exhausted because they’d be running back and forth re-correcting the auto-correct.

I saw some real life teen moment cards the other day.  They were so true when I had my teens.  Here is what I experienced:  “Open the fridge door, look in to find what you want; leave the door open and walk away.”  “Remove socks in a rolled ball on the family room floor along with your shoes.  Walk away and leave for days.”  “Fill your coffee cup, drink some, let it cool, set it down, forget where you left it, but know the cat will find it.”  “When the ice cube tray is empty return to freezer---empty.”  “When the trash is full, practice the physics law of tilt and fall you learned in school----when the container is full, add more trash, and then some more.”  “Leave a tablespoonful of milk in the carton---return it to the fridge.”  “At 5 minutes of needing to be in attendance at an important meeting 10 miles away, announce you HAVE TO BE THERE on time or you’ll be penalized.”  “When washing your clothes, forget about separating the darks and whites, put them all in together.  Grey is a universal color!”  “Leave the hall light on, which shines in your sleeping mother’s eyes, when you get home at 1:00 in the morning.”  “Leave every light on in the house while your parents are gone as you find what you were looking for; then, leave for your date.”  “Use dishwashing liquid soap in the dishwasher because there is no more dishwasher liquid compound.  Turn on, watch the bubbles spill out of the dishwasher; yell for Mom.”  “Eat the 2 pounds of left over meat loaf for a snack.  When Mom complains that it was going to be for supper---ask her if she wants it back.  Listen to her laugh.”  “Decorate your step-father’s favorite boxer underpants with lace and sequins.  Wear them over your biking pants in front of him.  Listen to him laugh.”  I’m sure some of you can add to this list.  PLEASE share with me, if you’d like.  You might see it in another column.

Looking through some fun English books, I found a paragraph written which had no “E” in any word used.  I enjoy these kinds of challenges and devised one of my own.  “Peter Piper thought he’d picked one peck of pickled peppers.  However, he could not do the chore due to pickled peppers get processed in the home on the stove, not in the outdoors’ veggie beds.  Pickled peppers don’t grow pickled.”  This is the one I wrote leaving out the letter “A”.  It took a while to choose the correct words for understanding of the known tongue twister, which is actually alliteration.  But, that’s a whole other English lesson for another time.

She was sitting in her favorite rocking chair on the porch slowly rocking, holding a worn, black book trimmed in gold.  I knew it was her Bible.  She had a look on her face of contentment and a bit of irritation.  “What are you thinking, Aint Daisy?” I asked as I approached sitting down in the other rocker. I watched her eyes.  I can always tell when she is thinking and remembering.  “Oh, I’m jes’ thinkin’ about what a young feller said a while ago when he visited me talkin’ like he knew so much.  He told me, ‘Not everything you read in the Bible is true, ya know, Mz. Daisy.  Some of that is just tall tales,’ he went on.”  I could tell just remembering what he said was irritating her more.  “You know chile, I’ve lived a long time, gone through a lot, and watched more than most people have, especially that young feller.  The longer I live and watch this world, the more I believe the words written in red---Jesus said those---and believe even stronger what is written is true.”  “I’m sure what that fella said irritated you a lot.  Did you say anything to him that he would remember?” I asked her.  “Yep.  I let him go on about his thinkin’ some of what is written is tall tales, and that maybe some is not true.  Then, when I knew he was finished, and he asked me, ‘So, what do you think, Mz. Daisy?’  I jes’ looked him the eyes, patted my Bible and asked, ‘How do you know it hain’t true?”  More wisdom from the Lady of the Holler.

I remember when CRAYOLA came out with their 64-count with sharpener box of crayons.  I was thrilled when my mother bought me that box.  I was so careful to hold the crayon carefully so it would not break.  I didn’t share them, either.  The teacher sort of scolded me for that, but when I told her she could buy my next box if any got broken by another, emphatically using “MY CRAYONS”, she left me alone.  Mother and Daddy got a phone call, though.  CRAYOLA came out with the 120-count box.  I just about lost my mind as I danced in the aisle, holding the box to my heart, yelling, “Oh yes, oh yes”, and smelling the box.  The manager came to aisle 7 and asked me to purchase the box and move on out to my vehicle.  Yep, it was two days ago.  I’m not sharing, either.  “Crayon” in French means---pencil.  What we call a crayon in English would be referred to in French as une craie de cire, which literally means “wax pencil”.

QUEUEING is the only English word which has 5 vowels in a row.  It means: lining up. 

“Lying is done with words and also with silence.” Adrienne Rich, writer and teacher (1929- ) “A certain amount of opposition is a great help to a man. Kites rise against, not with, the wind.” -John Neal, author and critic (25 Aug 1793-1876)  

I had gotten some yellow, grape tomatoes which were delicious, sweet, and just the right size to pop into one’s mouth.  I was telling my daughter, Della, about them and offered to give her some.  She looked at me and said, “Mom, what’s the last word in that offer?  It’s ‘tomatoes’, and you know I don’t like them.”  I continued to defend the lowly fruit/veggie saying how sweet they were, so easy to store, pop-in-your-mouth convenient, etc.  She said, “Mom, you are sounding like a TOMATO-TORNEY, a defender of tomatoes.  In fact, with your position of power about these balls of alleged goodness, I’m giving you a position of ‘Power of Tomato-torney’ and what you can do with them.”  The girl is writing her own dictionary, folks.

Peace, smiles, and kind thoughts to you-----------Trudy

 

 

 

                          🍎🍏  2021 September FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

 

I have a favorite blouse which has ¾ sleeves.  The cuffs on the sleeves are torn and worn; well, so is the shirt.  I didn’t really want to throw it away because there was still some good use from it.  So, I decided to make an apron out of it.   I cut the sleeves off all but an inch; turned that and sewed it down around the arm holes.  Now I have a loved shirt to wear in the kitchen when my skills get messy.

I walked up onto the porch to have a little visit with Aint Daisy.  I could tell she was a bit upset.  I asked permission to sit with her; it was granted.  (I was taught to ask permission to sit with someone when they are noticeably upset because they might want to be alone.)  I asked her what was troubling her.  She replied with heaviness in her voice, “Oh honey, that neighbor across the way has two little fellas who are always ‘busy’ with adventure.  She yells at ‘em, scolds ‘em, calls ‘em names, and just doesn’t seem to care who hears her.  The little ones just keep on being ‘busy’ with their adventures and that makes her even madder.  I can’t help but hear every word she says in anger to ‘em.  What she doesn’t realize is this old saying is so true, ‘Words that soak into your ears are whispered…not yelled.’  That’s why they keep on bein’ ‘busy with adventures’.  They hear her, but they’re not listening.”  ‘Another gem of wisdom from the lady of the holler.

When I awaken in the mornings I say, “Thank you.”  Before I go to sleep, I say, “Thank you.”  I do this out of gratitude for giving me another day and a night’s sleep and for the day I was given, no matter what happened.

One of mine was grumpy about all homework they had.  I tried to soothe them by telling them, “The way you eat a steak is one bite at a time.  So it is with all your homework---one subject at a time.”  They were quiet for a moment, and then blurted, “I’m so dang tired of learning!  I know enough!!”  Well, that was a 14 year old versus an over 48 year old mother.  I quietly responded with, “Write this down and read it when you feel like it: Proverbs 19:20 and 27.”  I knew those two verses would give them something to think about.

Have you ever noticed that all instruments searching for intelligent life are pointed away from Earth?   Well, that’s a great big “Hmmmmmm”.

Brenduhh stopped by.  We had some sweet tea and chatted.  She was puzzled and asked, “Trudy, I have 3 sisters, but when I told my brother, Duhlan, he said, ‘That’s nothin’; I have four sisters.’  I can’t figure it out; we have the same parents and were raised in the same house.  Do you know the answer to why he has four sisters and I only have three?”  I could not look her in the eye and tell her the answer, nor could my head stop slowly shaking.

Most of you know I like words.  I found some words which end in “nym”.   I subscribe to a website, DAILY WRITING TIPS, which is all about words.  Here is some of what was sent to me:  ethnonym:   The name of an ethnic group, tribe, or people. The residents of the United States are called Americans. Other ethnonyms used by Americans include African-American, Black, Indian, Native American, and Asian-American. A similar term, demonym, is a term that refers to the inhabitants of a place. For example, Chicagoans, Londoners, Mancunians (inhabitants of Manchester, England).  Toponym:   The name of a place. Because the Romans occupied Britain for three and a half centuries, many British place names derive from Latin words. For example, the Romans called their camps castra, a word that developed into the suffix chester/cester, giving modern Manchester, Winchester, and Cirencester.  Paronym:  This word has three definitions:  1. a word having the same root as another: child/childish.   2.a word that translates into another language with only minor changes or no change at all: Schadenfreude (Schaud-in-froi-duh) which means, pleasure derived by someone from another person's misfortune.  The English word is: ““epicaricacy”  3. a word similar in sound or appearance to another: affect/effect.  Tautonym:  A repetitious taxonomic term.  In the binomial Linnaean system of classification, plants and animals are identified as to genus, and species. For example, the domestic cat is Felis catus; the domestic dog is Canis lupus, and the sheep is Ovis aries.   When the words for genus and species are the same, the resulting binomial name is considered to be a tautonym. The following binomials are tautonyms:  gorilla—Gorilla gorilla; wolverine—Gulo gulo; red fox—Vulpes vulpes; moose—Alces alces

This word just appeared to me from another website, Word.A.Day.  How appropriate as I just finished a large bowl of ice cream. akrasia PRONUNCIATION: (uh-KRAY-zh/zhee-uh)  MEANING:  noun: The lack of will or self-control resulting in one acting against one’s better judgment.

Have you ever been manipulated and your reaction caused the person to get upset.  Well, here is a good definition of that.  MANIPULATION is when they blame you for your reaction to their disrespect.  Oh boy, can I ever relate to that, especially being a teacher and dealing with some people who think they know how I should teach their nasty offspring.  One mother wanted me to cancel, on her son, my referral to the dean for his disrespectful behavior.  I told her, “Since you weren’t there to hear and see the level of disrespect he was showing me, the referral remains as I wrote it.  You’re not doing your child any favors by trying to rescind the consequences of his words and actions.”  Since both deans and the liaison police officer were present, she didn’t have much to say about my response.

While driving to an appointment I saw a sewage disposal truck.  The sign on the back of it said, “We haul used groceries.”  I couldn’t help but chuckle.

Whether it is good or bad, what is done in the dark will eventually come to light.

My friend was told by a governmental agency to submit the paperwork needed for her reimbursement, as soon as possible.  After waiting for 2 months, she’s learned governmental agencies “do nothing very fast.”

“If good things lasted forever, would we appreciate how precious they are?”  Hobbes

Peace and smiles…….Trudy

 

                       😊  2021 August FROM MY PERSPECTIVE  😊

I knocked on the screen door.  I soft voice told me to come on in and set a spell.  Aint Daisy was sitting on her overstuffed couch with a photo album in her lap, a flowered handkerchief was in her hand, and dabbed some moisture from her cheek.  “Are you all right, Aint Daisy?” I asked.  “Oh yes, honey.  I was just looking at pictures of my sweet man and traveling down the path of memories left to me.  A few “rain drops” fell on my cheek, too.  He was so kind and gentle, which amazed people since he was larger than most men.  Why, I couldn’t even lace my fingers through his to hold hands; his fingers were so long and big.  He’d cup my hand in his and it would seem to disappear.  I miss him terribly, and I miss us.  But, that is the dues one pays for loving another.  I didn’t just love him; I was in love with him for all those years we were together.  And an interesting thing some have told me, it was obvious I was in love with loving him.  There’s nothing wrong with all that because when they’re gone, you’re rewarded with their presence in the memories you made together.”  There was a tissue box next to me offering one to me to dab a “rain drop or two” from my cheek.  More wisdom said from the Lady of the Holler.

“Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers.”  Alfred Lord Tennyson.

Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from history:  SPADES--King David HEARTS—Charlemagne CLUBS--Alexander the Great DIAMONDS—Julius Caesar

Some thoughts of intelligent women:  “If the world were truly logical, men would ride sidesaddle.”  Rita Mae Brown    “Take your life into your own hands and what happens?  A terrible thing:  no one to blame.”  Erika Jong

Did you know that Bozo the Clown wore an 83AAA shoe?  He had a pretty good understanding of his craft, I’d say.  Daddy wore a size 12AA.  He had a terrible time trying to find shoes to fit his slender feet.  When he did, he’d buy 2 or 3 pairs of them.  This was during the time he worked for DuPont and ALCOA.  When he retired he found some Reebok walking shoes that were most comfortable.  He bought a few pair and that is what he wore from then on, except for when he had to “dress up”, as he called it.  Then, he’d get out his dress shoes, polish them, and put them on.  He never forgot how to give those shoes a Navy shine.  I’d watch him buff them, spit on them, and buff them some more.  He was able to see his face in the toe afterwards.  Some things you just don’t forget, do you?

When my 27 year old son, Stephen, was young, he was singing LEAN ON ME while in the shower.  He was really belting it out.  He came to the line, “Every body needs somebody to lean on”; however, he sang, “Every body needs somebody to leave alone.”  YEP!!!

According to a study, the average American spends about an hour a day in the bathroom, including time spent bathing. That comes to about two weeks total per year.
• How do people pass the time in the bathroom? About half of survey respondents said they thought about “serious issues.” Well, what about reading?  ‘Best place around here.
• Nearly two-thirds say they engage in “toilet mapping”—scouting out the locations of public restrooms in advance of actually needing them.
• The majority of people surveyed think of their bathroom as a relaxing place to get away from the stress of life.  Unless, there are others in the home who keep knocking on the door wanting to be where you are!

It seems that in January, 1990, over 20 toilets and urinals in the King County, Washington, Court House erupted after being flushed.  Apparently, a plumber who was making repairs mistakenly switched an air compressor with a water line.  Yeesh! Talk about a power bidet and squeaky clean.  I surely hope no one was sitting at the time.  And, how would you like to be from Flushing, NY?  Which is a terrific segue to the new automatic flushing toilets found in public restrooms.  I’m not real fond of them.  Besides, when I have control of it, I will definitely know that everything will have gone to “a land where no man has gone before.”  I think these things are operated by someone who is really behind the wall reading Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader (multiple editions and each one is fascinating) and gotten so engrossed in it, that they forgot to check the gauge to tell if you have left.  I’ve walked out of the stall and nothing has happened; moved to the side of the stall only to find some part of my body protruded into the “eye zone” and still nothing happened.  This can be embarrassing when someone else needs to use the same stall.  How do you tell someone, who is doing the I-really-have-to-go dance, to wait until you flush?  I can still stand on one foot, put my other on the chrome handle, and push.  Of course, that’s a “dance” which can be dangerous, especially when you have your hands full of coat, purse, packages and keys.

 My beloved, Guy, had fallen asleep for the umpteenth time.  I called to him to go to bed, but he told me he was comfortable.  I encouraged him again with a descant of, "You are snoring!"  The next day I mentioned his snoring, "You have no idea how loud you were!"  I guess he was miffed and snorted, "No I don't, but I'm sure you'll tell me.  Do you want to demonstrate while you're at it?"  "If I did, I'd suck out my brain," I sniffed.  "Well, wait a minute before you start; I have a corner of my handkerchief not used yet," he snorted.  Folks, the man made me laugh just about every day.  He had quite a quick wit.

Inane is very silly or stupid: “He was ridiculed by his friends for his inane and inept remarks.” Insane means having or showing severe mental illness; mentally ill or deranged: “The accused was given a benefit of doubt because he had been declared insane by the doctors.”  So, was the farmer’s wife’s action, who cut of the mice’s tails with a knife, inane or insane or both??

In July, my daughter and I were talking about her getting her shots for covid.  She told me she was going to get her first one the day after our conversation.  I told her that we had an important meeting to attend and that by the last of August and the date of the meeting she should be fully-inoculated.  She laughingly told me to read my statement again.  I did and saw the phone had interpreted “inoculated” as “fully-ovulated”.  Why do phones do this??  I now have to read everything I write/message so no word will get twisted.

Peace, smiles, and harmony to you.  Trudy 😉

👀 2021 July FROM MY PERSPECITVE

 

                      👀           2021 July FROM MY PERSPECTIVE        👀

JULY: This month used to be called Quintilis – the Roman word for “fifth” as it was the fifth month of the Roman year. It was later changed to July by the ruler of Roman world, Julius Caesar, after his family name (Julius).  The Romans originally used a 10-month calendar, but Julius and Augustus Caesar each wanted months named after them, so they added July and August.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with these young’uns now-a-days,” scolded Aint Daisy.  “They’re either too lazy to get up and work or they think they need to start a job with a big salary.  Heavens if they are offered one at the bottom 'cause they’re not qualified for any other higher position.”  She was really irritated, so I just listened as she went on.  “What these young whipper snappers don’t know is….ya don’t put a roof on a building that h’aint been constructed, yet.  Ya need to start at the bottom of a job so you can know how ya got to the top and what goes with it to earn the salary that’s at the top.”  More wisdom given to me from the Lady of the Holler.

ABILITY is what you’re capable of doing.  MOTIVATION determines what you do.  ATTITUDE determines how well you do it.  I’ve seen all this to be true.  I’ve had students of different intelligence levels.  One in particular had the ability to achieve the highest grades, but their motivation was almost non-existent, and their attitude was less than desirable.  As I watched them, all I could think of was, “What a waste of a good mind.”  Then, I became blessed with my two grandchildren who had challenges.  The social worker said to me, “You know they are challenged and will not achieve much or meet your expectations.”  I told her, “The bumble bee is not designed to fly, but it does.  Do you know why?  It is because no one told it, it could NOT.  With all Guy and my resources of teaching, I don’t think there is very much they won’t be able to learn, if they want to learn it.”  She had very little to say after that.  They are both successful in what they’ve chosen to learn and apply.  So, never give up trying and learning.  Quitters never win and winners never quit.  If you think you can’t---you’re right; if you think you can---you’re right.

Brenduuh called me in a panic.  “Trudy, I’m locked in my car and can’t get out!!!”  I told her to put her hand on the handle and open the door.  “I can’t open the door because all the windows are rolled up on my convertible, the doors are locked, and the top is down,” she lamented.  I had to hang up the telephone; I just couldn’t talk any more.

I saw a joke and immediately thought that my two grandchildren ages 12 and 14, would probably tell it to someone.  They have dry senses of humor like their dad (my son), and my father.  Here is the joke: CJ or Will:  Why did the chicken cross the road?  Me:  Why?  CJ or Will:  To get to the dummy’s house.  Me:  silence of thinking  CJ or Will:  no response; waiting for me to respond  Me:  still silent and thinking  CJ or Will:  Knock, knock  Me:  Who’s there? CJ or Will:  The chicken.

It takes more time to do something right the first time than it does when you have to do it the second time.

When one of my 5 children was very little, it was potty training time.  They’d sit on the little potty seat on the toilet as they should, but would not let me flush the toilet until they were standing at the bathroom door watching.  I tried to have them just sit there when the toilet was flushed.  Oh heavens no, no, no.  One time I quickly flushed the toilet when they were on the little potty seat on the toilet.  They let out a scream and quickly jumped down.  I told them all would be fine and they would not fall in and that I don’t fall in.  Out of the mouths of babes came this gem, “Oh I don’t know; I just might.  You don’t because your butt is so big!”

Motels have been known to entice people to do really weird things.  Guy and I were staying at one.  It was so peaceful; then I got a crazy notion.  I took off all my clothes and ran around the room.  He was amazed (guess he didn’t think I could run that fast) and said, “What the h*** are you doing?”  I said, “I’m pretending it’s our honeymoon.”  He snorted, “What honeymoon?  We never had one.”  I retaliated, “I know, that’s why I’m pretending.  Now pretend I’m a size 14 without an ounce of fat.”  “Eeee, gods, Troot, you come up with the craziest ideas.”   He left to get a cup of coffee.  See how weird he was?

I read this recently and wanted to share it with you.  It is profound, in my thinking.  “Love is the most givable gift.  Give it in thought, actions, deeds, and physically.”

Nothing so soothes our vanity as a display of greater vanity in others; it makes us vain, in fact, of our modesty. -Louis Kronenberger, writer (1904-1980)

Mother always said, “Beauty is as beauty does,” and “Beauty is only skin deep.”  In our culture today, beauty and youth are emphasized; much too much in my opinion.  I’ve seen “beautiful people”, those whom are considered beautiful by our society’s standards, and have found most of them to be shallow and selfish.  I’m sure you have too.  Then, I’ve seen unattractive people who are truly beautiful in every sense of the word.  I think of the looks and appearance of the people who were covered in dust and dirt giving aide to those who needed it on 9/11/01; those who were dirty, worn, and disheveled helping those who were victims of hurricane Katrina’s aftermath; the military personnel in all their gear fighting for our right to continue with freedom.  I think of what the soldiers looked like when they raised our beautiful flag at Mt. Suribachi after a grueling fight.  And, I look at the pictures of the crew on the ship my Daddy commanded at Iwo Jima after the battles.  I remember a friend of mine who is not physically beautiful; however, she was the only one who sat beside me during a horrific time in my life when I was all alone.  She sat there, not saying a word, but her support and empathy spoke volumes.  She wanted me to know she would miss me more that I could imagine if I left this world.  My pain would be finished, but the pain of those who loved me would only just begin.  None of these beautiful people measured up to the visual “beauty standards” expounded by our society.  True beauty comes from within, is unselfish, kind, principled, empathetic, and honest.  All of that can’t be washed away in 5 minutes with soap and water.

A VIRGINIA FOREST RANGER WAS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING 7 TIMES FROM 1942 TO 1977.  You can bet his least favorite song is GLOWWORM by the Mills Brothers.

I shared with Guy this trivia factoid:  A column of air 1 inch square and 600 miles high weighs about 15 pounds.  He looked at me and mumbled, “Hmm, are those the reserve tanks you keep on your chest?”  The man was very brave, folks.         Peace and smiles.  Trudy

🌞2021 June FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

                                      2021 June FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

“Youth lasts much longer than young people think.”  I came across this statement and thought, “What a good double entendre.”  If you deal with youth, you know how immediate the thinking is---immediate gratification, immediate results, immediate time, and so on.  There is little thought to the future.  In fact, I see it with young adults anymore.  I know someone who has a daughter.  She is always telling her mother to live for now because the future isn’t promised.  Well, she lived for now, spent as much money as she earned on what she wanted and enjoyed the immediate gratification.  Suddenly, her high-paying job was gone and she had to accept one which was much less in salary.  Sounds like the grasshopper and the ant fable.

Years ago, I went to substitute one day leaving Guy, my beloved, home alone where it was very quiet.  He said he went to cardiac rehab, got some groceries, and read.  I noticed he hadn’t done the dishes or tidied up the house as I’d asked.  “How’d you do at rehab, today?” I inquired.  “Pretty good; 70%,” he said proudly.  “Did you get a nap?” I asked.  “Yes, a 20 minute one,” he responded.  “Oh, that’s nice.  How many times?”  I slyly asked.  “I lost count!” he scowled.  He knew he’d not fooled me.

Have you ever noticed when someone says, “Just a minute” they aren’t standing at the closed bathroom door needing to get in?  Have you ever wondered if someone could really “be there in a jiffy”? It is an actual measurement of time; 1/100^th of a second is all it takes.  Have you ever hated hearing “Oh no!” after your dentist has drilled for a short time?  Strikes fear into the heart of the boldest, doesn’t it?  Have you ever thought, “I could do that better” as you watched someone do something you have a minuscule bit of knowledge about, and then be asked to take over?  Some things are best left unthought-of.

One of mine was dawdling getting dressed for school.  Breakfast still had to be eaten, teeth brushed, and school gear gathered before the bus came.  I mentioned all this to the dawdler.  Silence.  I mentioned it again.  Silence and a sniff.  “Answer me, please!  Are you about ready?”  I firmly questioned.  Then came the wail, “My socks are being a problem!!”  I went in to see the problem.  “How can your identical socks be a problem?”  “They are on the wrong feet,” wailed the dawdler.  I had to hang onto the door knob.

Some things a bout with shingles have taught me:  I can gain weight faster than they heal; there really is a thing called “phantom itching”----hello scratching air!; the left side of my head is numb----am I considered a numb skull?; a wild hair day is more than one day and I now consider it a fashion statement; my vocal, unfiltered daughter told me I look like Freddy Kreuger------her name is in pencil in my will, now; I have involuntary naps throughout the day…I like to choose my nap times; my doctor told me, “It may take over three weeks to heal”….he needs a new calendar and time reference, and forget about the word “may”; I do not like my patience tested anymore.

My friend, Shelli, told me, “A very nice police officer just stopped to say, ‘Hello’.”  I asked her why.  She told me, “88 in a 65 zone.”  I told her, “Well, ‘Hello’ ticket master!”

It seems there are some telephone scammers calling people trying to get their bank account numbers and social security numbers.  If this happens to you, you can either hang up or have some fun at their expense.  Here is what fun I usually have:   I tell them I can not understand their accent, so they are to spell every word they say to me and if they misspell a word they have to start over. They usually hang up and I roar with laughter. Or, I'll tell them I have a sophisticated GPS system on my phone and I know exactly where they are and am sending a few of my people to have a chat with them...they may be delivering food or be service utility people. Or, I talk to them about diarrhea and incontinence or throwing up complete with sound effects. Oh, I have a lot of fun.

She who laughs-----------lasts.  Scientifically proven.  Laughing encourages the body to relax; boosts the immune system; triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals; protects the heart; burns calories, and lightens anger’s heavy load.  Going for the snort is even better!!

The South has some endearing terms.  I use them from time to time.  “Bless your heart”—I really mean it.  But, there are times I say it so I won’t say what I really think of the person.  “Quit chyer bein’ ugly”---it’s about behavior, not physical appearance.  It seems rightly so because when a person acts ugly, they ARE ugly in appearance.  People from the South tell of “carrying a person somewhere”---I like this one because, to me, when you carry someone somewhere you, also, are offering to help carry their burden(s) momentarily; it gives a peaceful feeling to me.  “Cain’t never could”----a positive thinking in southern style.  You won’t accomplish much if you always say or think you can’t do something.  Be positive and give it a try and you might find out you could do it after all.  “Can’t never could do nothing!”  “Make your mama proud” ---well that speaks for itself, in my opinion.

My friend, Mary, took a driver’s ed class with two nuns one summer.  She’s not the most accomplished driver, yet.  She was telling me about her experience driving in heavy traffic with the two nuns in the back seat.  “They kept saying ‘Oh Hail Mary’ over and over; I guess they were saying their rosaries.  I wasn’t doing that badly and got out of the way of 3 semis in time.”  I’ve ridden with her as she would practiced her driving skills.  So, I know how she drives.  “Honey, I don’t think they were saying their Hail Marys.  I think it was more, “Oh HELL, Mary”; I’ve ridden with you a few times,” I chuckled.

I found this old time remedy for removing freckles from your face.  It says, “Rub a live frog over your face.”  Hmm, in some cases that could be considered cruelty to animals.

Aint Daisy was rocking in her favorite rocking chair on the porch.  She had a glass of sweet tea beside her and a slice of her delicious cherry pie.  “Hi, Aint Daisy.  It’s a lovely day, isn’t it?”  She smiled and invited me to “set a spell” and chat.  “Chile, you look a bit troubled.  What’s going on with you?” she asked.  “I’m angry at me because I should have known better about something I said to another.  I apologized, but I don’t feel it was enough,” I lamented.  “Honey, we all have a misspoken word fall out of our mouth.  It’s good you apologized.  It will not go unnoticed.  About being angry with yourself…..well, that’s the worst person in the world to be angry with.  You can NOT get away from you at all, now can ya.”  Another wise statement from the lady of the holler.

 

May 2021 FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

 

                          🎕           2021 May FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

Here it is May already; the third and last month of the season of Spring.  The birthstone of May is the emerald which symbolizes success and love.  May is named for the Roman goddess Maia, who oversaw the growth of plants, and the birth flower is the lily of the valley.    A lot of us help celebrate Cinco de Mayo with the Spanish community; like so many of us help celebrate St. Patrick’s day in March.  There is, also, Mother’s Day which was the idea of Anna Jarvis of Grafton, WV.  She held a memorial service for her mother at St. Andrew’s Methodist Church.  This was in 1908.  It wasn’t until 1914 when President Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation designating Mother’s Day be held on the second Sunday in May as a national holiday to honor mothers.  The month is closed with the Indy 500 in Indianapolis, IN. 

I saw another county road warning sign.  It made me laugh.  “Hooray!!  Spring has sprung.  Use your seatbelt or you’ll get flung.”  Here’s another:  “Phone in one hand, ticket in the other.”

“Good afternoon, Aint Daisy.  Do you mind if I talk to you about something that’s been bothering me?”  The wise one was rocking in her favorite porch rocker as I walked up the steps.  “Naw chile, you jest come on up here and set a spell.  H’aint no use to carry a heavy burden when there’s one willin’ to hep you haul it,” she drawled in her country way.  “Well, you know Gina and all she does.  Good golly, she just seems to bring shame on her family all the time.  She goes to town and drinks, takes up with questionable men, swears, and seems to be proud of all that.  I imagine her folks just about hang their heads.”  Aint Daisy didn’t say a word, just rocked and pursed her lips.  I knew something wise was going to trip off her lips.  “Honey, I know what you’re talking about, but I know the family and perhaps why she’s thata way.  Her parents are kind, honest, and well-liked by others.  She has brothers and a sister who are good people, too.  Why, there ain’t a single one from that family that’s to be ashamed of.  I learned a long time ago, don’t judge people by their relatives.  Why, I know a family who is related to a famous outlaw, one of the Fords who rode with Jesse James.   But, on the other side of the family they’re related to royalty, King Richard of England.  Not a single one of ‘em act like the outlaw side, nor are they uppity about the royalty background, either”.  I left with a much better view of people.

Have you ever wondered about the name of people and the fitting of it to their personalities? I used to hate my given name---the one which appears on my birth certificate:  GERTRUDE.  My brother would tease me mercilessly about it, and Mother would remind me it was her mother’s name, and I should be proud.  So, I looked it up.  WOW!! It means “SPEARMAIDEN”.  I told this to Guy one time.  He agreed it quasi-fit my personality.  I took the bait and questioned his logic.  “Well, Honey, you are not only a spear maiden; you make them, carry them, AND throw them!” I told him, “You forget I catch them, too.” He proudly reminded me that his meant “Leader of people.”  I asked him, “So explain why you couldn’t find your way to the St.Louis airport when the man gave you explicit directions.”

I started a new diet Monday.  Boy, I’m glad Monday is over!!!

Some things I wonder about:  Do giraffes even know what farts smell like?  Are elephants ever light on their feet?  What does a mirror twin see when they look in the mirror----themselves or their sibling?  If coffee is a bean is it a veggie or legume?  Can an ant be an aunt?  In multiple births, do the others ever wonder if they were the one(s) unplanned?  SWIMS is the same upside down.  If I put a “T” where the “W” is in what, where, when, I’ll get the answer to each.  If you rip a hole in a net, are there fewer holes in it than there were before?  Why is the word for the “fear of long words”—hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliohpobia—so long?  Why doesn’t glue stick to the inside of the bottle or tube?  If a spoon was made of gold, will it still be called silverware?

No response is a response and it can be a powerful one, at that.  Sometimes silence screams an answer.  Class is when you have a lot to say but you choose to remain silent in front of fools.

A while back I had a panic attack.  Those things are discerning, to say the least.  I quickly grabbed a brown paper bag and put it over my mouth.  The bottle of rum inside it surely did help.  I felt fine after that.

Whether you know it or not, you use quotes from Will Shakespeare more often than you think.  Here are some examples: It’s Greek to me!  Something’s rotten in the state of Denmark.  I have not slept one wink;  too much of a good thing;  neither rhyme nor reason;  wild-goose chase;  break the ice;  hoodwink ; and of course, “To be or not to be, that is the question” Is often quoted.

Brenduhh came over excited to tell me something.  “Trudy, I’ve driven by the same possum lying by the side of the road for three days and it is still in the dead position.  It surely is doing a good job playing dead.”  “Your knowledge of animal behavior just knocks me over, Miss Brenduhh,” I said with baited breath.

Becoming 76, as I told my doctor, has been an eye-opener.  I don’t think as most 76 year old people do, I don’t act as most 76 people do, and I don’t feel like some 76 year old people do.  In fact, my mind still thinks I’m 30, but my body thinks my mind is an idiot and provides the evidence when I’ve done too much.

I’m going to present some sensitive information here which was sent to me by a friend who knows I like to know where words and gestures originated.  If you’d prefer not to read it, please have a great May, and I’ll talk to you in June.

The insulting extension of the middle finger is referred to as digitus impudicus in Latin.  There is an article giving the “HISTORY OF THE MIDDLE FINGER” (that’s the title of it to Google should you want to read it) which I looked up and found to be false.  The account, though, is humorous.  I did learn a new word group:  labiodental fricative Labiodental sound: A sound that requires the involvement of the teeth and lips, such as "v," which involves the upper teeth and lower lip.  Fricative, in phonetics, a consonant sound, such as English f or v, produced by bringing the mouth into position to block the passage of the air stream, but not making complete closure, so that air moving through the mouth generates audible friction.

Now that all this explanation is about as clear as strong coffee, just read the false account and have a chuckle.  You could, also, use it as a conversation starter or startle.  I’d choose the latter.

A fun words:  morgenmuffel-----a person who is grumpy in the mornings and doesn’t like to wake up early.  Snicklefritz -----a Pennsylvania Dutch term of affection usually for young mischievous or talkative children.  (My sweet mother called me this.  I had no idea there was a meaning to it.)

On April 12, my red VW Bug was rear-ended by a drunken fool driving a big Ford truck.  My poor Bug was totaled.  I was given a motorist’s report to fill out, describe what happened, and insurance information for the state and my insurance company.  I did as required with the English composition teacher kicking in.  My daughter read my account of what happened.  She said, “Gods Mom, all they want is facts, not a novel!”  I became Joe Friday and gave just the facts.

🌷2021 April FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

                     🎕🌸🌷🌹  2021 April FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

“April showers bring May flowers”.  That ditty rings in my mind’s ears every April.  I’ve seen Aprils with torrential rains, forget about “showers”; and, I’ve seen dry Aprils.  Usually though, there is a shower of good proportions which nudge the bulbs to sprout the shoots of flowers for a colorful May.  Welcome April!!!

I saw a post of a social media board which said proudly, “I’m going to give a gift of a nose piercing to my daughter when she turns 13.”  I know this mother and know she’s at least 30 years younger than I am.  I wrote, “Why?”  She came back with, “Because she wants her nose pierced.”  Another reader, whom I know, posted a frowning face causing the young mother to ask, “Why the frowning face?”  I explained so the young mother would understand the frowning face:  “That other poster and I are from a different, stricter era and parenting philosophy than you are.  We both have thoughts that a 13 year old is still of the age that a parent doesn’t relinquish to the wants of that child.  Keep in mind the vast differences in our ages to yours and the differences in parental philosophies and tactics.”  Dear readers, no matter what your ages are and your parental philosophies, I am not telling you how to raise your child (I’ve raised 5 of my own).  My friend and I just gave an opinion.  End of story and thoughts.

“Good afternoon, Aint Daisy.  How are you today?”  I walked up the steps of the porch to sit a while and chat with my favorite person in that holler.  I have a question for you, if you don’t mind listening and giving me some advice.  “You jest go right ahead and talk, sweet one,” cooed the wise lady.  “Well, Sally Rose---you know she’s my friend---told me I need to do something that I believe is really none of her business whether I do it or not.  She told me that since my Beloved has been passed for some years, I need to take off my wedding rings.”  Aint Daisy just looked away squinting her eyes, and then she looked at me.  “Let me tell you a few things.  Perhaps it will help.  My sweet fella has been gone for over 25 years; I miss him every day, and if you’ll look at my left hand, I still have on my wedding ring.  I’ve chosen not to remove it, and really, it h’aint nobody’s business whether I do or not.  Keepin’ it on or not is not going to interfere with your friend’s life none.  In my mind, I’m still married to him and that’s fine with me,” she said as she looked lovingly at the thin gold band and touched it oh so gently.  “Did that help you any, sweet one?”  “Aint Daisy, you don’t know how much it did.  Thank you so much,” I said with a tear and a smile.

A friend of mine had her son apply for a job in the kitchen of a large restaurant.  His hope was to have an impressive position.  He was a gifted student in English and demonstrated his extensive vocabulary often.  A section of the application asked for experience in the culinary positions.  Here is what he wrote:  “Extensive skills and experience in aqua-thermal treatment of ceramics, tempered glass, steel, and aluminum wares in an unconstrained environment.”  (Quite impressive isn’t it?)  His mother brought it over to me and had me read it.  I couldn’t help but laugh and praise his ingenuity.  She asked me why I had the reaction I did.  I told her, “Honey, I really hope he gets the job he’s described right here.  All these fancy words merely give grandeur to being an unsupervised dishwasher.”  My friend could not stop laughing, either.

In my area there are state road signs which have messages via digital input.  They change about every week.  They are usually cautionary and make sense.  This particular entry played right into my sense of humor.  “Is your seat belt buckled?  If not, what’s holding you back?” I thought, “Good double entendre.”  Another one simply stated, “Drive safely.  Someone needs you.”  I like that one.

I know I’m getting old, now.  I didn’t do anything all day and still needed a nap!!

I was talking with someone about arguments.  They said, “The thing I have recently noticed is that someone with poor argument skills will result in name calling.  I call it ‘interruption of the neural pathways’ or sh** brain syndrome.  Calling it sh** brain is not labeling the person, it’s just the inflection.”  I responded with, “The name calling, also, is due to a stifled, insufficient, and incomplete vocabulary.  I prefer to tell the person, ‘You obviously have cranial-rectal inversion syndrome resulting in external and internal hemorrhoids.’”  This all stemmed from Amber Veal’s suggestion of:  “Before you argue with someone, ask yourself, is that person even mentally mature enough to grasp the concept of different perspectives?  Because, if not, there’s absolutely no point.”

My grandson loves scary movies, ghouls, and that sort of thing.  He was talking with his dad, my son.   Will asked Dane, “Dad, when Halloween gets here, I’d like to go to a haunted house.”  My son asked, “What’s wrong with the one we live in?”  Startled, my grandson said, “WHAT!!!???”  Dane said, “Good night, Will.”

I like to cook large amounts of our favorite foods and freeze some of it for future meals.  Tara, my granddaughter/daughter who lives with me, saw me take out the big kettle.  I overheard her tell her friend on the speaker phone, “Mom’s got the big kettle out to fix something.  That means we’re going to eat whatever it is more than once.”  Her friend said, “What’s so bad about that?  You’ll have it for future meals.”  Tara said, “You don’t understand.  We’ll have it for at least 3 or 4 meals………this week!!”

If you are a parent or grandparent, uncle or aunt, brother or sister you have bragging rites for your relative.  I’m all of the above and want to tell you about my 14 year old granddaughter, CJ.  She is very intelligent and performs on the A+ to A level in school.  She loves math.  She is in 8^th grade taking freshman algebra.  At the end of her freshman year in high school, she will have her high school math requirements completed (taking geometry and algebra 2 as one of her electives).  If she plans well with her counselor, when she graduates from high school, she can possibly have completed her first year of college credits by taking dual credit classes at the local junior college during her junior and senior years of high school.  In essence, she will take high school classes and junior college classes while in high school. 

My grandson, Will, is practicing for track.  He is in 6^th grade.  He came home from practice exhausted and headed straight for the couch.  His mother, father, and sister were in the kitchen talking.  His father asked him to come to the kitchen to join into the conversation.  Will called out, “Do I have to walk?”

💚2021 March FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

 

            💚     2021 March FROM MY PERSPECTIVE     💚

Well, here it is March…..month number 3; Spring’s tempest; wild hares chase each other; my birthday month; named after Mars in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars; the second of seven months to have a length of 31 days; in the Northern Hemisphere, the meteorological beginning of spring occurs on the first day of March; and according to the old saying---it comes in like a lion and out like a lamb.  Well, that remains to be seen.

There are 171,146 words in the English language.  According to the Oxford English dictionary the first word is “A” and the last word is “Zyzzyva” (pronounced: “zih-zih-vah”) and meaning:  a genus of tropical weevils (family Curculionidae) native to South America and typically found on or near palm trees.

When I became a mother I discovered strengths I didn’t know I had and fears I didn’t know could exist.  I didn’t know I could love a being more than I loved myself, or anything else, for that matter.  I didn’t know I would have to hold down something so precious I helped create so its body could be violated by needles or looked into where it was dark.  I had to soothe the screams and cries stifling my screams of, “Stop it; you’re hurting my precious one” as my tears were burning my eyes and my throat hurt holding back my screams.  I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin or a good grade on a test in a subject that was so tough, or an “I did it, Mom!” I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep, or listened to a child breathe right in front of me or on the phone miles away---
”What are you doing, Mom?” he asked. “Listening to you breathe, Honey, just like I did when you were here,” I choked.  “Oh, Mom, you’re so silly. The Navy is really cool.  I get to do all sorts of things I hadn’t planned to do!” he proudly said.  “I’m sure you do, and you look so handsome in blue and white,” I said thinking, “And I know you didn’t plan on me missing you more than heart beats, either.”  “Mom, college is so wonderful.  I’m so thrilled to be here,” she said.  “I’m glad you are loving it, Sweetie; you’ll do very well,” I replied thinking, “If I told you how much I missed you….I can’t do that, it would ruin your independence.  Someday you’ll know.”  Before I was a Mom, I never slept on sheets 12 days old because I didn’t want his/her odor to be washed away after they went away to college or the Navy.  Before I was a Mom, I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put it down or held on to a hug after it was time to let go.  I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt or disappointment.  I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.  I never knew that I could love someone so much. I never knew I would love being a Mom.  Before I was a Mom - I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.  I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby or a “starved” teenager.  I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child.  Being a mother is never over, even when we pass on, because our spirit will be with our children, and our title reigns to eternity.

Chief Dan George from the Salish Tribe of British Columbia said, “If the very old will remember, the very young will listen.” Isn’t it amazing how the young can teach the old, though?  With all the experience I have had teaching young people, they still continue to amaze me.  Here are some examples.  Each of them has happened.  Get your child the color of dog they want.  Otherwise, they’ll paint the one you got for them that color.  “Filling the gas tank” does NOT mean putting rocks and sticks in it.  Do not take for granted your son will walk AROUND the mud puddle, when there is no time to spare for a change, on the way to a wedding.  Hide ALL permanent markers from a 5 year old just learning to write their name.  They’ll lay claim to everything they see by proudly writing their name on it, including the freshly painted kitchen door.  Do not take your exuberant child shopping right after they have been given 2 Twinkies and 8 ounces of red Kool-aid by the “helpful” neighbor.  Make sure you are exact when telling your son to feed the dog the food for him (dog) which is in the refrigerator.  You’ll lose the intended left-overs for supper to the delighted dog.  Make sure there is no SILLY STRING hidden by your children in the van when going on a long trip using only the interstate; that also goes for whoopee cushions and balloons.  Do not get an 80 pound greyhound and let your 60 pound son walk the dog in the country.  Do not assume the children will NOT misbehave when you are attending a meeting on “Discipline Without Spanking.”  Please know that a boy’s size 4 feet WILL fit into Grandpa’s size 14 shoes.  The boy says so, and Grandpa believes him.  Make sure your child has dark drapes and blinds at their bedroom window in the spring and summer months.  Otherwise, at the first sign of daylight, they will announce, “It’s morning time!!”  Do not throw away unusable hand-held hair dryers where an adventurous 15 year old boy, wearing his uncle’s state police uniform to see if it fits, yet, can find it.  They will go to the end of the drive-way, point it at cars causing them to learn all sorts of profane words and creating havoc with the drivers.  Make sure you have a supply of dish WASHER liquid detergent when you ask your teen son to load and turn on the dishwasher.  Dish WASHING liquid is NOT the same thing and it will take 2 hours to relieve the dishwasher of the suds.  Lay towels down in front of the machine or there will be a whole new definition to the song SLIP SLIDING AWAY.   According to a young lad, he has “314 brain cells and every one of them are working.”  Hmmm, I know some adults with more, and they can’t say that.  I realize some of you are passed the small children stage, but grandchildren and great-grandchildren do this, too.  It is their job.  We are not safe by a long shot!

Most of my readers know I enjoy words, especially unusual ones.  The word QUEUE comes to mind.  It is pronounced “Q”; it means “in a strait line, one following another”.  Why it has to have 4 unpronounced letters with one following the other I don’t understand.  The word CWM (yes it is a word), pronounced “koom” meaning “a steep-sided hollow at the head of a valley or on a mountainside; a cirque” is another one I have trouble with.  It has no vowels, not even a “y” and the only letter pronounced as it usually is, is C; which leads to another quirk of that word.  “C” has no sound of its own.  It takes the sound of a “K” or “S” with the “S” sound made when the “C” is followed by a vowel, and the sound of “K” when followed by a consonant. Now, about the word “XYST”.  O.K., I won’t go there. Yeesh!

“I’m so glad you came over to set a spell and chat,” cooed Aint Daisy, “I know you’re busy.”  I smiled and told her I had time, besides it’s always refreshing to chat with her and listen as she shares her wisdom.  “Not many folks seem to have time to set a bit and chat.  They think a phone call will take care of a personal visit.  Phone calls are nice, but seeing the person and feeling their presence is so much better.  You see, chile, words in the ear linger for a spell, but the sight of the person is remembered in the heart and mind a lot longer.”

While messaging my daughter on Facebook, I sent, what I though was, one emoji of  🎜🎝🎜.  It turned out I punched the send key about 4 times.  She sent me a question mark.  I casually replied, “It’s a song.  I don’t know which one, but it’s a song.”  She replied with, “LOL”.  I think if I still taught English composition, I’d have one assignment of writing a composition using emojis where applicable.  I’m sure it would be fun and interesting.

My friend, Carole (same age as I am), had an appointment to get her car looked at.  She was in a bit of a hurry and didn’t have time to get all spruced-up.  A friend took her to the dealership to drop off the car and then they went for a ride.  Carole mentioned how nice the young men were to her, especially if you look really decrepit.  Then she added, “But we’re not acting.”

I text, but so many times I have to retype something because either auto-correct gets involved or I’ve struck the wrong key (usually the one beside the one intended).  I don’t like retyping unless it’s to someone I don’t really like.  Then, I just leave it and let them guess.  Then I laugh.  Well, I was texting to Carole and hit the wrong letters while telling her the above.  I retyped the word three times in a row.  The last word was “laugh”, but was typed “lsugh”.  I retyped it.  She fired back, “You’re laughing, aren’t you?”  ‘Made me laugh harder.  I just love her.