🎂🪁 2022 March FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

I stopped by Aint Daisy's to check on her.  She's getting up in years and lives alone.  I'm of the belief that the older generation needs a peek or two throughout the week to make sure they are doing all right.  "Hi, Aint' Daisy!  I just stopped by to see how you are."  She was glad to see me and invited me into her kitchen.  Oh glorious timing on my part; she'd just taken a peach pie out of the oven.  It was cooling on a rack on the table.  "Set yourself down, chile, and I'll cut us some pie.  How're ya doing today?" she chattered.  "Oh just fine.  I do have something to talk over with you and need some wisdom to share with a friend of mine, if you don't mind," I said.  "Okay, tell me what you need to say," she encouraged as she cut two generous pieces of pie and placed on some flowered antique plates.  "Well, one of my friends came to me and said, 'Sometimes I need someone to come to me, hug me, and tell me I'm not as worthless as I think I am.'  That bothered me, Aint Daisy, because I don't think she's worthless at all.  She has so many good qualities.  What can I say to her that might help her?"  Aint Daisy listened intently and squinted her right eye.  That was a signal she was going to say something profound.  "You tell your friend, feeling worthy starts with her believing in herself. No matter what others say to make her feel good, she has to believe her importance and worth, first.  I've felt what she's feeling," was her response.  "Thank you.  I'll be certain to tell her your wise words."  Aint Daisy smiled as she put a dollop of ice cream on the warm pieces of pie.  I took a bite.  Ahhh, sweetness rested on the pallet, but not as sweet as the words of wisdom resting on my ears from the Lady of the Holler.

I’ve lived a long time, come 77 years at the end of this month.  I’ve had to deal with some pretty difficult problems/times during my life.  Later on when they’d subsided, I found those difficult problems/times were disguised as opportunities; opportunities which gave me wisdom and moments to share with another who was “walking” the same path.  Smooth paths do not teach as much as rocky ones.

February 2, 2022, a day which will be remembered for the amount of snow had in the Peoria, IL area.  At my house it was over 12”.  I didn’t take the van out of the garage from Tuesday February 1 until Monday February 7.  My daughter who lives with me and works stayed at my other daughter’s house where there was access to a four-wheel drive SUV and excellent driving skills.  Not many people ventured the highways, and those who did drove slower than a caterpillar moves.  Then along came February 16-17 where another huge amount of snow was presented to us from Mother Nature, who obviously was off her meds.  There was a 50+ pile up of mostly tractor trailers on I-39 at El Paso, IL.  Thank God, no one was hurt, but what a mess.  My daughter had to sleep at work.  Thankfully, she works at a retirement home and there was a spare room.  I have one word for Feb. 2022---Phffft!!

No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of it for anyone else. -Charles Dickens, novelist (7 Feb 1812-1870)

One week-end my Beloved went to the hospital to visit someone.  He came home telling me it was so easy to find a parking place, and that there weren’t many employees there on Saturdays and Sundays.  I told him, “Yes, I know. The morgue is even worse---it just has a skeleton crew.”  He groaned and told me to go away.  I was concerned about the salt supply in our water softening unit; the yellow light was blinking indicating the salt level was low.  I told Beloved we needed some more bags of salt to fill the unit.  He was pretty tired, but dragged himself out to the garage to go to the store to get some.  He came roaring into the house and yelled, “Dang it, Trute, there are 3 bags of salt out in the garage.  Why are you so worried about the little light blinking?  In fact, I don’t’ think YOUR light is even on!”

Unlike other 4-legged mammals, a kangaroo can’t walk backwards.  “DREAMT” is the only English word that ends in the letters “mt”.  Why is dyslexic so hard to spell?

Now hear this!!!  It is National Peanut Month.  Botanically classified as legumes, peanuts contain properties of both the bean/lentil and tree nuts.  I love honey roasted ones, dry roasted ones, and lightly salted ones.  My sister introduced me to boiled peanuts when I went to visit her in Florida.  That was an interesting eating, but I prefer the dry kind.  When my 3 kids were little, I’d buy roasted-in-the shell by the pound.  They’d sit on our 10’ couch and watch Saturday morning cartoons and eat peanuts.  They seldom took their eyes off the television to shell another morsel; and, it was amusing to see their expressions when they’d finished the 2 pound bag I’d bought.  They were amazed.  Betcha can’t eat just one!  I never could.

Brenduhh came over after going to church.  She knew fresh cinnamon rolls and tea would be waiting.  "Hi Trudy!  Today in church the minister told about Lot and his wife needing to leave a town.  The minister said, ‘God said, “Take your wife and flee.”’  It was an interesting sermon.  I have a question, though.  What happened to the flea, and why would someone want a flea for a pet?"  I heard the whistle of the tea kettle as a signal for me to leave the table before my eyes stuck in the top of my sockets.

Have you ever wondered where NIKE got the idea to name their running shoes “Nike”?  It seems that records of outlawed magic spells for runners were found on fragments of papyrus, such as “Hermes’s wondrous victory charm,” which attempted to invoke the help of this god of speed, Nike, the goddess of victory.  There were tiny sheets of gold with her name written on them inside the sandals.  There is still the Nike logo on athletic shoes and clothing nearly 2,800 years later.  Now you know.

“Jeoparty-trot a word which means:  A quick motion, between running and walking when one, on account of fear or weakness, is not able to run at full-speed.  The term seems to have had its origin from the flights of those who were often obliged to escape from their enemies.”  John Jamieson’s Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language, 1808.  I found this on a daily calendar I have.

Did you know there is actually a phobia for the number 13?  It is called---triskaidekaphobia.  It seems that a long time ago, about the early 1700s, thirteen people were seated at a table.  One got up to leave, became very ill, and died.  So, the fear of having 13 seated at a table is a bad omen and created a fear of the number 13.

Please observe March 14 with a piece (or the entire) of pie.  This is because it is official----3.14 is pi (pie) day.  I will be celebrating with cherry and probably lemon meringue.  OHHHH, it will be a Monday, so Perkins Family Restaurant has a free piece of pie with your order.  Lunch will be delicious!!!!

Some things to think about:  Easter Island:  “Why the long face?”  San Juan, Puerto Rico’s gambling boat:  “Come enjoy our pair of dice and a vacation too.”  Psychology department:  “Find out about Pavlov---the name that rings a bell.”  Archeology department:  “Take your career to ruins.”  Geography department:  “Learn where in the world you are before someone tells you where to go.”

I saw where there is a retirement community comprised mostly of arrogant college professors.  It is in Whys, AZ.  There is an Anaconda, Montana, but it’s no where near the Snake River.  Shit Creek, AK is south of Snafu Lake, Yukon.  I can hear the travel plans now, “Well, I think I’ll go up Shit Creek, without my paddles, to Snafu Lake and do a little fishing from the docks.  Don’t think I’ll tell the wife.”  I found Hornytown, NC.  ‘Don’t think I’ll even go there with this.

Hofstadter's Law: It always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter's Law. -Douglas Hofstadter, professor of cognitive science (b. 15 Feb 1945) Murphy’s First Law: Anything that can go wrong will go wrong. Murphy's Second Law: Nothing is as easy as it looks. Murphy's Third Law: Everything takes longer than you think it will.  Murphy’s Fourth Law:  If there is a possibility of several things going wrong, the one that will cause the most damage will be the one to go wrong.  Murphy's Fifth Law: If anything simply cannot go wrong, it will anyway.

 

Peace and smiles--------------Trudy

 

           💕💖💗💝 2022  February FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

Aint Daisy was shaking some rugs off her porch as I walked up the side walk to her house.  “Well, looky here!  There you are coming to visit.  Let me put these back in the house, and we’ll have some time to talk.  Come on in the house.  It’s chilly out here; I’ll fix some tea.  Oh, do you want a piece of cherry pie to go with it, chile?” she asked chuckling to herself.  I thought, “What a silly question.  I could be full to my gills and still have room for a piece of her pie, especially my favorite cherry,” but I didn’t say it out loud.  “Yes, thank you.  You make the best pie in the county,” I said trying not to choke on my droll of expectation.  The kitchen was bright and cheery as we sat at the table covered with a flowered tablecloth.  “What brings you here, chile?” she questioned.  “Oh not much.  ‘Just wanted to stop by, chat, and make sure you’re all right.  I have a question for you, though,” I slowly said.  “I know a fella who told me recently, ‘I want to break down so badly, but I keep repeating to myself, “you got this”, when I know I really don’t.’  I feel so badly for him, Aint Daisy.  What can I say to him which may help him?”  She listened, took a bite of her pie and a sip of her tea.  There was a longer bit of silence, and then she spoke, “If you have just a small amount of “I got this/that”, then you will eventually have all you need of the situation.  Believe it, because if you doubt it, you will fail and you won’t “have this”.”  More words of wisdom to think about, not only for him, but for me from the Lady of the Holler. 

What greeting do Italians say to a fluffy, Chinese breed of dog’s lunch meal?  “Ciao, Chow-chow chow.”

I always tried to fix a hot breakfast in the winter for my kids when they were going to school.  I overheard one talking to a friend.  The friend asked, "What is your favorite breakfast your mom fixes?"  My child replied, "Oh, she fixes hot lava with butter and two blind lookers."  "What is THAT?" inquired the friend.  "Well, the hot lava is hot grits with lots of butter, and the two blind lookers are cooked eggs with the yolks runny and turned over.  It's delicious!!!" my child said proudly.  There was:  “monkey meal” which is oatmeal with bananas; “jungle meal” which is oatmeal with bananas and peanut butter; and “trees” which is broccoli.  Beets were “blood balls/slices”;  “red hair Hawaiian salad” which is finely shredded carrots with pineapple; and the famous “stink cheese” for Parmesan cheese.  We had names for things which the kids made up.  Not many knew what they meant, but the names were totally logical to us.

Brenduhh came over for a chat with cinnamon rolls and tea I’d just made.  I decided I’d “play” with her.  I asked her, “Kiddo, you’re standing in a barnyard.  There are 2 cows, 2 horses, 3 chickens, and a worm.  How many legs do you have?”  She looked quizzical at me and replied, “Trudy, you know worms don’t have legs!”  I told her, “Good; now how many legs do you have?”  “Give me a piece of paper so I can write down how many legs I have,” she grumbled.  She did her math and came up with 22.  I told her, “That’s the wrong answer.  The correct answer is 2.”  “I don’t know how that can be since two cows have a total of 8, two horses have a total of 8, and three chickens have a total of 6 and all that equals 22,” she announced with some frustration.  “Sweetie, I asked you, how many legs do YOU have?  The answer is 2.  YOU have 2 legs,” I gently said.  She still was a bit confused, so I told her to think about it, and let’s have some tea and cinnamon rolls. 

I saw this and agreed with it.  Now I’m sharing it with you.  When I was a kid I fell from the monkey bars, brushed myself off saying, “I’m o.k.”  Now, I tried to scoop some very frozen ice cream and dislocated my shoulder.  Turned in place to get a towel to dry my hands-----wrenched my back!!! Blew my nose-----farted on the cat and wet my pants! Stretched my arms out-----got a cramp in my solar plexus.  Getting old is NOT for sissies, y’all!!!

For the record, I can run with the best of the winded.; I don’t run with scissors (eliminate the last two words).;  It snowed a lot here in February.  I decided to make some snow angels.  I only got one made; the rest were massacres of the areas around the ONE I made as I tried to get up.;  I wrote a grocery list for my young daughter.  She couldn’t figure out what I’d written.  Ahhhh, script is now a mystery to the young of today.;  Another word for THESAURUS…..book.

ELEPHANTS:  The country with the most: Zaire, 195,000; the country with the fewest:  Vatican City.  (Stop laughing, it’s true!)  Vatican City has .16 (that’s POINT one six) square miles, which is about 108.8 acres.  100 strides (they only shuffle real fast; they don’t run; their stride is 6.6’ apart) and the animal is out of the country.  I researched this, folks!

April will mark the 162^th anniversary of the pony express.  It was started April 3, 1860 lasting only 1½ years.  The Pony Express began traveling between Sacramento, California, and St. Joseph, Missouri.  An unprofitable postal enterprise, the Pony Express helped to win federal support in funding a more economical way to carry mail over land. On October 24, 1861, the Pony Express was officially discontinued.  HA!!!  Thinking about some of the delayed mail I’ve gotten, it never stopped.

“Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life.” -Immanuel Kant, philosopher (1724-1804)

Have you ever or do you remember the laboratories you were in either in high school, college, or a job?  I do. Daddy was chemistry major at VPI taking all that knowledge to DuPont, before WWII, and to ALCOA when he returned in 1946.  He had a typical scientific mind and way of doing things---everything had a place and there was a logical sequence of doing something.  I, on the other hand, being an impulsive teenager, did things out of sequence and had places for some of my things.  Of course, we somewhat clashed due to our way of thinking.  In fact, he couldn’t bear to look into my room; it was “too unorganized,” he said.  I remember one time after I was an adult, that he needed something from the basement.  He had an old, solid oak classroom shelving unit that had doors on it. It was filled with all sorts of tools and hardware.  He told me what he needed and exactly where it was.  Then, when I went to get it, he said, “And don’t disturb anything else around it.”  There was that “everything has a place” thought process---the scientific, organized knowledge.  I found it, but lingered looking at as much as I could before he called out, “Did you find it?”  Returning to his side with the said tool, I asked, “Daddy, why do you have so much “stuff”?  Some of that is still in the unopened package.”  He said, “Well, if I need it, I’ll have it and won’t have to stop to go to the hardware store to get it.  If I don’t need it, I may in the future.”  There is the wisdom and the organized life.  Daddy didn’t say much, but when he did, you listened and thought---sort of like E.F. Hutton.

Kangaroos can’t walk, elephants can’t jump, cheetahs can’t retract their claws, lions can’t purr, and some people can’t rub their tummy and pat their head simultaneously.  Monkeys can’t recognize themselves in a mirror, but chimpanzees can.  Owls can’t move their eyeballs; they are tubular in shape.

Peace, hugs, and kind thoughts to you.  Trudy

 

                           🎉🎈 2022 January FROM MY PERSPECTIVE 🎈🎉

Oh my!!!  A brand new year has come!  The year of 2021 was eventful, some painful moments, but blessed.  I’m sure most of you can identify with all that.  I’ve found that moments of discomfort/tribulation provide me with more moments of strength---some even producing wisdom and insight.  It’s difficult to appreciate the tough moments---some would think one was nutz when they do.  I hope, for all of you, you have more moments of smiles and warm feelings than you do the tribulations this year.

“Hi Aint Daisy!!!  It’s me with some freshly made bread and apple butter.”  “Well, well, well, what a nice surprise.  Come on in and set yourself down.  I’ll be with you shortly,” she called out.  I sat down and looked at a needle work picture hung in her living room across from the overstuffed, floral couch we usually sat on. It said, "On this road called LIFE…You have to take the good with the bad, smile when you’re sad, love what you’ve got, and remember what you had.  Always forgive, but never forget, learn from your mistakes.  People change.  Things go wrong.  But, just remember, the ride goes on."  I asked her where she got it. She told me she'd made it when she was a young girl; her mother had often said the words to all her children. So, she put them in a needle work piece to always have. More wisdom from two ladies of the holler.

Brenduhh called me about 8:45 a.m. on a very nice sunny morning.  She was trying to turn on her computer, but it would not turn on.  I asked her if the computer and monitor were plugged-in.  She said they were.  I asked her if all the connections in the back of the tower were plugged-in.  She asked me to wait while she got a flashlight.  “Why do you need a flashlight to check the back?” I questioned.  “Well, I NEED one because I got a message on my cell phone from the electric company that the electricity would be off at my house until 10:30 a.m. today.  I’m glad I’d had 2 cups of strong coffee before she called.

I come from an era where, "Keep talking" meant you'd better hush.  Well, that was o.k. with me until Mother would tell me to "Keep talking," and mean it.  I got confused at times.  Then, there was, "You have another think coming."  O.K. so I would think some more, express my thought, and get reprimanded.  When I told her, "You told me I had another think coming, so I thought again and told you.  Why are you mad at me?"---more confusion.  I think the best confusion was when she'd say, "Oh, do what you want to," so I would and get in trouble because I obeyed what she told me to do.

At Christmas I had a few festive cards with pictures of the sender’s tree and all the decorations they’d taken the time to place on it.  I sat there looking at the tree IKEA sent me (a box of pine needles) complete with decorations printed on heavy paper to cut out, color, and glue together.

When my 28 year old son was little, we would sometimes go over a very high bridge to get home.  We were at the top of the bridge one day when he said, “Mom!!!  I think I can see God.”  I told him, “Well, talk to Him.”  A monologue started and ended with, “Amen.”  Thank you, God for listening to that young man.  He’s on his way to being terrific, and this mom is so proud.

I went to a meeting one day.  I felt something was off with my dressing.  I looked down at my feet and saw I’d not put on shoes; I was wearing my house slippers.  I felt I should have been at Walmart.

A person who plans to do you harm in your vehicle can not if you put a few big dogs who like to smile at people in your back seat.

If you plan to serve a veggie your children do not like, make sure you puree it and put it in a sauce mixed in with macaroni and lots of cheese.  Or, smother it into the bottom of the garbage in the kitchen.  If the dog won't eat it, neither will the kids.

If you're inundated with calls about your car warranty/computer/windows/phone service, tell the caller you don't have what they're trying to sell you.  So far, I don't have a computer nor know how to operate one, live in a cave, ride a horse for transportation, or send smoke signals for communication.

I have a friend who is so obsessed with exercising that she will run or ride her bike in the cruelest of weather---rain or snow, hot or freezing.  She also has exercising equipment at home.  The other day she called me all proud of herself telling me, “Trudy, I just did a 7 a.m. yoga television class, 8 a.m. television zumba class, and worked out for a half hour on my Peloton.  I feel so good!!!”  I listened carefully as I stirred my coffee with a peppermint candy cane, buttered and ate a 5 inch wide, home- made cinnamon-pecan roll.  I felt so good, too.

I have a girlfriend who has just about the same reasoning for things her husband does, as I do.  She told me he, all too frequently, would empty a carton of eggs and not tell her or replace it; eat the last piece of cheese and not replace it; use all the toothpaste and not replace it; use all the toilet paper and not replace it, or eat the last amount of peanut butter---you know, the “glue” that holds kids together?—and not replace it or tell her.  Her children require pure, nothing added, peanut butter. When she opens a jar, she puts in honey and kosher salt to make it palatable for all of them; this takes a bit of time to blend to the right consistency.  It was a harried school morning and she had to fix some lunches.  She reached for the container of  peanut butter, but found it to be empty.  She asked her hubby if he’d eaten it.  He told her he’d had a peanut butter sandwich the night before.  She was rather angry with him, so she made her plan to teach him a lesson.  The next day she asked him if she may borrow his car.  She drove everywhere she could think of until the tank was just a few gallons until empty (they have an indicator that tells how many gallons are left and how many more miles to go).  She came home and didn’t say a thing.  That evening he was running late to an important meeting quite a distance away; got in his car, and then came into the house roaring, “Why didn’t you fill up the gas tank when you emptied all the gasoline out of it?”  She crossed her arms and returned the question, “Why didn’t you replace the EMPTY tube of toothpaste, the EMPTY package of cheese, the EMPTY carton of eggs, the EMPTY roll of toilet paper, the EMPTY juice carton, the EMPTY jar of peanut butter, or all the other things you EMPTY and don’t replace with a full one? Now you know how I feel, so learn from it!”  She tells me things are usually full which he has used since that day of reckoning.

Hendecagon: an eleven-sided polygon.  Another name for hendecagon is undecagon. A solid having eleven faces is called a hendecahedron or an undecahedron.  The Canadian dollar coin, nicknamed “Loonie”, is a hendecagon.  If you’re able to put holes in it, blow through the holes and make music that is known as a Loonie tune.  Oh I know!!  I just couldn’t resist.

Some thoughts for a new year:  "Never underestimate the power you have to take your life in a new direction." "Life's not about expecting, hoping and wishing, it's about doing, being and becoming." "I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past."  “Every moment is a fresh beginning.”  “Every day is an invitation to something good will happen to you.  A smile is good.”

Peace, smiles, and kindness to you for all year.   Always, Trudy

 

     🎄🎄🎄   2021 December FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

For anyone feeling lonely and wishing someone would call: Just go to any page advertising Medicare information; it doesn't matter your age. If you give them your phone number, you will get more calls than you can imagine! There are, also, car warranties people who will track you to the most remote island in the middle of nowhere in unnamed waters.  You might want to turn off your phone!

Here are some words of wisdom.  Most of you probably don’t need to read them, since you’re already wise.  1.  Opportunities always look bigger going than coming.   2.  Whatever hits the fan will not be evenly distributed.  3.  Never be too open-minded; your brains may fall out.  4.  Just going to church doesn’t make you any more a Christian than standing in a garage makes you a car.  5.  Learn from the mistakes of others.  You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself, and besides, being greedy is one of the 7 deadly sins.  6.  Some days the statue, some days the bird.

"The body consists of three parts - the brainium, the borax and the abominable cavity. The brainium contains the brain, the borax contains the heart and lungs, and the abominable cavity contains the bowels, of which there are five - a, e, i, o and u."  Child of much knowledge age 10.

I asked our Tara, age 9 at the time, what a rainbow was.  She thought and said, “When God is happy he sends all these colors in the sky to us, but leaves out the grey and black.  When He is unhappy, He sends just the grey and black and slams his door a lot; just like you do, Mom, when you’re real angry with Stephen.”  I asked her, “What?  God has a door to slam?”  She replied, “The thunder is the sound of the door slamming, Mom.  Don’t you know that?”  I guess I’d better go tell the meteorologists they’re wrong about air molecules being split and slamming back together.  Tara’s answer makes more sense.

The kids were hungry and could hardly wait for supper.  I worked quickly to put together mac ‘n cheese, hot dogs, peas and carrots, and warm applesauce.  I left the extra food on the stove for Guy and me to eat later.  They took their plates, piled high with all the goodies, and went to the 4-seasons room to eat and watch television.  Guy was in his chair talking to me as I sat on the couch with my back to the kitchen.  I heard some noise.  Before I could question what it was, Guy said, “It’s the herd; they’ve come to graze on the range.”  Farm boys never forget.

It was quite chilly the day I stopped by Aint Daisy’s.  I opened the front door and called, “Aint Daisy, are you here?  I’m coming in.”  There was no sound, which concerned me.  I walked around the house checking the rooms to make sure she was not on a floor or sick.  Nothing, but the back door was ajar.  I saw her rushing up the back walk wearing just her shawl.  “Well, hello, chile.  What are you doing here?” she said muffled as her face was buried in her shawl.  “Oh, I just thought I’d stop and check on you.  Are you all right, Aint Daisy?”  I inquired.  “Oh yes, just a bit chilly.  Silly me, I should have put on more than my shawl to scoot out the back door and go check on Miss Agnes.  You know she’s close to her nineties and doesn’t get many visitors.  I took her some chicken and noodles, pumpkin bread and an apple pie.”  “Aint Daisy, you are such a caring friend.  I know she’ll enjoy it all.”  As we talked in the warm kitchen, I noticed she was sitting under a cross-stitched piece she’d had put in an oval frame and hung on the wall.  It said, “A true friend is someone who reaches for your hand and touches your heart.”  How interesting Aint Daisy would be sitting under it, and it would look like a halo above her head.   More wisdom from the Lady of the Holler.

I usually try not to drive after dark.  It’s not that I’m afraid; it’s just that the LED headlights of the newer vehicles really bother my eyes, and God help anyone when the fool has turned them on HIGH beam.  They were so bright I think he could see my thoughts!!!  I showed one to him.

Some fella is suing SMART WATER for not making him smarter.  I am now announcing my actions of suing the Girl Scouts for lying about THIN MINTS, and Nabisco for advertising about REDUCED FAT in their cookies.  I’ve not gotten any thinner or any fat on my body reduced.  Liars!!!

Recently I was taking with an employee of a recycling company asking her the procedure for her company to receive my “dead” television.  She told me, “Come to the front door of the building and enter.  You will see me, and it is there I’ll tell you where to go to dispose of your “dead” television.”  I couldn’t help but laugh out loud.  I told her, “I’m a retired high school teacher.  I’ve had some brave kids tell me where to go.  In one class, a boy was really upset with me, and told me, “Go to Hell!!”  I told him, “Oh child, I’ll be there before you; I’ll meet you there.  My broom will travel faster than your legs.”  The class exploded with laughter after he left; so did the secretary with whom I was reminiscing.

MEMORIES:  I remember the 2 Dodges Daddy had.  One was a 1950 brown Dodge sedan; the other was a 1953 red Dodge sedan.  That was the only red car Daddy ever had.  Each of them had a hood ornament; a silver ram; one in the striking pose and the other was just the head.  After the red one needed to be replaced due to high milage, he got Oldsmobiles.  I think the Olds had a rocket.  He, also, had a ’46 Studebaker, but I can’t remember the hood ornament on it.  Guy and I bought a 1993 Buick Roadmaster in ’93.  It had the Buick emblem in a circle on the hood.  It was attached with a spring wire.  Little did we know they were considered “trophies” to certain gang members.  We lost it to a “trophy hunter”.  When Guy talked to the parts department manager, he was told it would cost $90 plus labor to have another one put on.  We left the space unadorned.  Guy traded for a ’93 Chevy Classic with very low miles.  It had an ornament, but never got taken.  ‘Guess it wasn’t a “trophy”, for which we were glad.  Hood ornaments are not as predominant as they used to be.  Guess it’s tough getting bug guts out of all the little crevices. But, my oh my, weren’t those ornaments attractive things?

On July 25th, I ordered a new microwave, via phone, from a local reputable store.  Many weeks later it still had not arrived.  I called the store and asked why it was taking so long.  The manager told me it was difficult to get drivers for the truck to deliver it from Kentucky to the Peoria store.  I told him I could drive down there, get it, and be home in one day.  He said it doesn’t work that way.  So, I waited longer---September 25 it arrived and was delivered.  By October 4, I had used it two times.  It had a very loud vibrating sound causing me to be very leery of it.  I called the store and asked for a technician to come out and find out what was wrong.  One arrived and found that the fan and magnetron were bad in this brand new microwave.  He said he’d order new parts and would get back to me when they arrived.  Three weeks later I called the store and talked with the manager.  He said they couldn’t get the parts or they were “on a ship in a harbor waiting to dock to be unloaded.”  I told him, “That sounds like lyrics to a sad song!”  I ordered a different one, received money back, and will not be charged for delivery and set up.  I’m not doing business with that store again.  So, if you need a new small appliance, make sure you GO to the store and get it right there; or, you could be listening to the lyrics of a sad song.

I hope your holidays are filled with warm memories, love, laughter, and so much you enjoy.  Blessings, smiles, and best wishes.  Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa from me to you.

Always,  Trudy

 

    🦃🦃🦃🦃  2021 November FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

“Opinion is really the lowest form of human knowledge.  It requires no accountability, no understanding.  The highest form of knowledge is empathy, for it requires us to suspend our egos and live in another’s world.  It requires profound purpose larger than the self kind of understanding.”  Plato  Everyone has an opinion, but not everyone has empathy, in my experiences with people.

A while ago, I saw a bumper sticker that said, “I’m a veterinarian, therefore, I can drive like an animal.”  All of a sudden I realized how many proctologists are on the roads.  This is a segue to an encounter I had with a nasty person.  I’ve always tried to tell a person off politely and remain a lady.  This person was being most irritating and their actions and words were becoming hurtful.  I told them they needed to go see a proctologist.  They snarled, “Why?”  I told them, “Your words and actions are hemorrhoid-like, and you know where that’s a pain.”

Seeing a picture of a daughter wrapped in a snuggle blanket sitting on a comfy chair.  The picture of this gal said, “I’m going to Mom’s and let her take care of the kids while I totally relax like I can’t at home.” It reminded me of one of my own.  I have one who will come over and we'll be talking.   I'll look over and they will be asleep. They've told me, "It's so peaceful and quiet here, Mom."   I've told them I have some empty beds they can go to and sleep. They reply, "No, I’m staying here because if I go to one of the beds, you're not next to me." My heart is full.

GREIGE PRONUNCIATION:  (grayzh)  MEANING:  noun:  1. A color between gray and beige. (In my definition, it is dull dinge; little hand/finger prints on the clean walls greige)  ETYMOLOGY:  For noun, adj. 1: A blend of gray + beige. Earliest documented use:1927. (Ha!!!  When children put their dirty hands on the walls is the earliest use of that word.)

From time to time, I read the philosophy of Nietzsche just to think about his perspective of “To do is to be.”  Then, along comes Kant whose philosophy is “To be is to do.”  Finally, while listening to Frank Sinatra singing, he breaks out with, “Do be do be do.” 

Don’t worry about the hater.  They are just angry because the truth you speak contradicts the lie they live.  Truth is hate to those who hate the truth.

“Ohh, I can smell the pies cooking,” I thought to myself as I approached Aint Daisy’s front screen door.   I knocked, and she called out, “Y’all come on in.  I’m in the kitchen, so come set a spell and chat.”  I pulled out the old, wooden chair and sat behind the multiple pies which were cooling on the racks on the table.  “I know you love cherry pie, so grab a plate and cut yerself a piece.  ‘Got some fresh lemonade, too.”  I obeyed her words and could hardly wait to eat the pie and sip the lemonade.  The few bites of pie were wonderful, slightly warm, crispy crust, and sweet, sweet cherries and filling.  I took a drink of the lemonade and shuddered.  “Oh, Aint Daisy, the pie and lemonade do not taste good together,” I exclaimed.  She chuckled telling me, “Chile, that’s sort of the way it is with some people---they’re sweet alone, but sometimes when you put another sweet one with them, the combination gets sour.  So, be careful who and what you put together for your enjoyment.”  Another lesson from the Lady of the Holler.

More than ½ of the bones in your body are in your hands and feet.  The strongest muscle in the human body is the tongue---it can build, or it can tear down in a few quick movements.

Recent gasoline prices at a station:  UNLEADED: LOL 9/10;  PLUS: OMG 9/10;  PREMIUM:  WTF 9/10.  I couldn’t stop laughing.  For those of you who don’t know the “computer slang”, here is a translation:  LOL=laughing out loud; OMG=oh my god; WTF=what the f**k.  Appropriate pricing, huh?

Have you ever skipped rocks on the surface of a lake or deep creek?  I have and found it fun and required a skill of:  finding just the right flat rock, how you hold a rock, and how you throw it.  The goal is to have the rock skip more than twice and then sink.  Did you know pumice is the only rock which floats?

"One isn't necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can't be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest." (Maya Angelou) Those of you who have practiced the virtues of kind, true, merciful, generous, or honesty now know from where they truly came.  Kindness, truthfulness, mercifulness, generosity, and honesty all have an opposite.  It takes courage to continue any of these in the face of the opposite.

Grief, I've learned, is really just love. It's all the love you want to give, but cannot. All of that unspent love gathers in the corners of your eyes and run down your cheeks; the lump in your throat that keeps you from talking; and in the hollow part of your chest that has your name on it. Grief is just love with no place to go.  ILY/143 Forever.

“Success has many fathers/mothers; failure is an orphan.”  Alsair

News flash:  Queen Elizabeth of England doesn’t like the smell of hamburgers cooking.  Well!  Right there tells me she could never be an American.

Clichés: little phrases that help one understand or appreciate a situation they are experiencing.  Here are some to think about and my thoughts about each one.

1.  There is harmony in disharmony---right, and a good fight clears the air!  2.  Feeling bad is just a new sensation---so, maybe I don’t like new so well.  Remember how new shoes feel?  3.  Tomorrow is another day---of course it is, Einstein!!  4. There is a light at the end of the tunnel---and it happens to    be the train, for crying out loud!  5.  After the rain comes the rainbow---not really, what about all that mud?  6. Midnight is where the day begins---unless you live in Northern Alaska.  Then, it’s 6 months of daylight at midnight.  7. Life’s not so bad when you consider the alternative---ohreally?  The alternative has silence, no decisions, no telemarketers, no dirty dishes, no toilets to clean, no lines of waiting, no road rage, no stress.  8. When in doubt, consult your inner child---I did and we played hide and seek all day, colored (I stayed in the lines), took a nap, and had cookies and milk.  9. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder---and I’ve seen some blind-struck beholders, too.  10.  When life gives you lemons, make lemonade---I make lemon pie.  Where is Soupy Sales? Actually, a little vodka in it isn’t so bad, either.

Brenduhh and I went looking for a pumpkin to make desserts with.  We arrived at the farmer’s field, looked it over, and started to walk.  Me:  “Well, there surely are a lot of them.  Which one do you think looks good?”  Breduhh:  “That one over there…as she points in a direction.  Me:  “Which one?”  Brenduhh:  “The orange one.”  Me thinking:  “Great!  That narrows is down a bit.”

                                Peace, smiles, and good thoughts------------Trudy

  👻👻 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 😉