Don't Dare Turn on the Airconditioner.

You've seen the weather reports - sure you have. And you remember if you know me at all, or have read my writings, or heard my grumblings, that I am a cold blooded soul! Maybe there is a better way to say that!!
Let's try again.
I have cold blood.
I stay cold.
Yea, one or the other of these terms. Cold blooded sounds like I have a streak of cruel nature - Not so. Just don't turn the air conditioner on yet!

Hello all, we didn't get the ice storm that Northern and western Ark received. Some poor folks are still without power. I got to thinking about what I'd do without electricity. It would be according to what time of year it was I guess - For a day or two I might pretend I was camping out - or living in the 1940's in rural Tennessee when I did not know what electricity could do for the world, if it happened in warm weather.

On the other hand, not having a fireplace or wood burning stove, it would be difficult for me to adjust this time of year. To move in with someone else if only for a few days? - I could get adjusted to the idea. Move to a shelter? - If there was no other way. Stay in the car and keep it running(!)? - I don't think so.

You know there is nothing worse than a cold house - without life. In shopping for a home several times in our life, I've had to walk through homes that were so cold and empty, they were somehow dreary. Looking back, they may have been a very suitable place for our little family, but I must have moved on and found a more inviting place.

Enough of my ramblings. I had something like flu symptoms last Thursday night, and wondered if I was going to take the flu after having the shot before Christmas. I hurt bad enough in every bone in my body, along with my skin/flesh being sore to touch that I accepted it was the flu. Anyway, I toughed it out until Monday when I went to see my Internist. He recognized immediately that I have cellulitis on my left leg. The pain and flue symptoms like chills and fever accompany the infection. I am on antibiotics, and today was my first day to venture out.

Adana, a very dear friend, called me today and we laughed together. I needed her call today. Today I needed to laugh. Staying indoors for as long as I have - has a way of making me think I am in a world that consist of my house on my street in my world, and I am the only one left. (That sounds like the prophet who prophysied against Ahab and Jezebel and found himself so dispondant, he started to think no one cared but him and the world was against him.)

I haven't been that bad for sure, but just the sound of her voice brought sunshine. We are like two school girls when we get together which isn't often, but we're making plans to remedy that real soon.

Ending the day with a good night!

Grammyof13

What Happened?

This was passed on to me through e-mail. I haven't checked it out, but I just had to share.

HOW MANY ZEROS ARE THERE IN A BILLION?

This is too true to be funny...
The next time you hear a politician use the word 'billion' in a casual manner, think about
whether you want the 'politicians' spending YOUR tax money.
A billion is a difficult number to comprehend, but one advertising agency did a good job of
putting that figure into some perspective in one of it's releases.

A.. A billion seconds ago it was 1959.

B. A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive.

C. A billion hours ago our ancestors were
living in the Stone Age.

D. A billion days ago no-one walked on the earth on two feet.
E. A billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and 20 minutes,
at the rate our government is spending it.

While this thought is still fresh in our brain... let's take a look at New Orleans ....
It's amazing what you can learn with some simple division.
Louisiana Senator, Mary Landrieu (D) is presently asking Congress for 250 BILLION DOLLARS to rebuild New Orleans .. Interesting number... what does it mean?

A. Well... if you are one of the 484,674 residents of New Orleans (every man, woman, and child)
you each get $516,528.

B. Or... if you have one of the 188,251 homes in New Orleans , your home gets $1,329,787.

C.. Or... if you are a family of four... your family gets $2,066,012.
Imagine, now $700 billion bailing out banks in the US . That's enough to fund complete medical care for every man, woman and child currently alive in the US for 11 years!!

50 billion to bail out the auto industry??? Washington , D.C. & Ottawa ON.

Are all your calculators broken??

• Accounts Receivable Tax
  Building Permit Tax
  CDL License Tax
  Cigarette Tax
  Corporate Income Tax
  Dog License Tax
  Federal Income Tax , Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
  Fishing License Tax
  Food License Tax
  Fuel Permit Tax
  Gasoline Tax
  Hunting License Tax
  Inheritance Tax
  Inventory Tax
  IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax)
  IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
  Liquor Tax
  Luxury Tax
  Marriage License Tax
  Medicare Tax
  Propert y Tax
  Real Estate Tax
  Service charge taxes
  Social Security Tax
  Road Usage Tax (Truckers)
  Sales Taxes
  Recreational Vehicle Tax
  School Tax
  State Income Tax
  State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
  Telephone Federal Excise Tax
  Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax upon Tax
  Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Tax
  Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
  Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax
  Telephone State and Local Tax
  Telephone Usage Charge Tax
  Utility Tax
  Vehicle License Registration Tax
  Vehicle Sales Tax
  Watercraft Registration Tax
  Well Permit Tax
  Workers Compensation Tax
  Income Tax
  Everything Tax

• 
  
  STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY???
  
  Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago... and our nation was the most prosperous in the world.
  
  We had absolutely no national debt... We had the largest middle class in the world..
  and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.
  
  What happened? Can you spell 'politicians!'
  
  And I still have to press '1' for English.
  
  I hope this goes around the US & CANADA at least 1 billion times
  
  What the heck happened???

Grammyof13

Today I Was A Witness,

I woke up suddenly this morning as though an alarm went off in my head. I was not sure, when the festivities were starting, so I was afraid I had overslept. Not so. We kept wishing for an already made sausage and biscuit so I would not have to leave the TV and prepare breakfast. Therefore, with cheese toast and cup of coffee in hand, I sat on the sofa to watch History in the making.

It was in the 50's when Little Rock was dealing with its own issues of segregation; making history when the now famous Little Rock Nine were ushered in to the "Old Main" High school to officially desegregate the school. Escorted by the National Guard they walked somewhat afraid even though they kept going, opening the doors for other Negro children to get a High School education.

In 1963, I lived in a period of History when the US was brought into the limelight of trouble. A president that was destined to bring change was gunned down before he could realize his place in History. The assignation of a President is not pretty, and I hope I never live to see another. I felt scared and afraid of what our world was coming to. It was a sobering time as I watched via TV the long funeral procession, the weeping widow and fatherless children. I was anxious of what the next few years would bring. I felt the need to pray for the safety of my children and my husband, and our nation.

I have seen History in the making several times in my life in fact. Never was I exposed to racial problems while in school, and never found a reason to pick up the prejudices of the day. We lived in Klu Klux Klan territory in Miss for a few years, and heard about cross burnings around the area. I learned in later years, my father-in-law was probably part of the cross burnings as he was a declared KKK backer.

We lived in Memphis during the height of the racial years during which Dr. MLK started his famous journey as a freedom seeker. It was in Memphis that the sanitation workers lost their lives, and the streets of Memphis were unsafe to man of any color. It was in Memphis in April 1968, that Dr. King lost his life. Racial unrest was everywhere, but his life spoke of one thing. His eulogy was formed by his message of freedom for all people.

My husband was an over-the-road truck driver during those years of unrest. He was forever on the lookout for stray bullets, rocks and other objects being thrown from an overpass to an unsuspecting vehicle. Violence was rampant and it did not always have a face.

History records when changes need to take place for the betterment of humankind, it usually brings confusion and unrest from some. Change is difficult. It seems when we get accustomed to living one way all our lives, someone sees a better way and it is difficult on us to make change. Someone said it takes 50 years to bring about significant changes to the same-o, same-o of the way it was. Even though one has a dream, it may take years relaying that dream repeatedly, until it catches on.

Jesus Himself encountered prejudices and mundane living when He started His earthly journey. Jews who had well established the Mosaic Law and was following it ritualistically governed the world. Jesus however, knew a better way, a new way that would include all races, rich or poor, Jew or Gentile. He was met with resistance as He preached His message of Love to all who embraced Him as Christ. He taught there was no longer a need for a sacrificial lamb, for the Lamb of God had come. His message was too hard to bear and with each miracle and each message, the enemy caused the people to stack up causes and reasons to slay Him to shut Him up.

Today, it was good to see the ease of the transition of power. It may have been this easy before, but I have not witnessed it. Today we can understand the significance of our democracy. Today we can appreciate the men who have brought us this far because they stood for freedom in the face of death. Today we can proudly wave “old glory” unashamed. Unashamed of the troubles we face, for we stand united in the fact we are strong and will work together as free men to make America strong again.

John F. Kennedy said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” It would be easy to depend on the government for EVERYTHING – however we are facing years of change when Government will be there for us in crises, but not for our daily bread. It may not be easy to look to God for supplying our needs; we’ve looked to the government for so long. However, the Government should never have become the one to supply our needs replacing our reliance on an Almighty God who declares, “I will/can supply all your need…”

History was made today and we are a witness.

Grammyof13

Sams vs Walmart!

I really need to get with the program if I'm to call myself a blogger! I should at least be frequently consistent on my journal entries. Not for you necessarily, but for myself. This way I can go back and read what I've promised myself to do, or what I actually did on a certain day. I'd like to think I'm somewhat involved in recording history. Whose History? I dunno. I may yet have my name up in lights and you will be able to say, "I knew her!"

Dreaming again. Sorry. I'm fully awake now, but I may as well kept on dreaming for otherwise I have nothing to write about that is worth reading.

My husband is much better, compared to one week ago when we weren't sure what was ravaging his body with fever. He made his first trip out on Thursday to Sam's. We were given a Sam's Card and a couple gift cards we proudly used. I have not shopped at Sam's in I don't remember when, so it was a good experience. Oh yes, he got to ride the electric basket cart this time. What did he do? He didn't shop with me, that is for sure. He found a way to get to the other side of the store and the search began. Lordy, I tell you we are a site when it comes to a Walmart type store. It must be the store, for it doesn't happen at Kroger or Sav-a-lot, or even Fred's. True, they aren't as big as Sam's or Walmart and too, we've seen everything those stores have to offer. I don't know what he was looking for, or even what he bought, so I was left to myself without seeing everything Sam's had in that monstrous warehouse.

Got word this week, that our singing trio that was formed at the Conway's Writing Group, will be featured on the local Channel 5 soon. The PR lady heard us sing at a New Years party at Nancy's house, heard our story of how the writing group and singing trio got started, and thought it was good news for local people.

I sure could use a ward robe expert. They say TV makes one look heavier than in real life, and I need all the help I can get! I believe it to be true, looking back at the few unprepared, unexpected times I was on the 5 o'clock, six o'clock and 10 o'clock news. This time however, I've been warned enough ahead of time to either lose 50 lb, or get a color that disguises well. Do you think I can lose 50 lb in 3-4 weeks?!?! OK then, I'm left to searching for black or a dark color to make me beautiful.

I'm not afraid of cameras, I'm not concerned about the public appearence. But I am concerned that my hair is in place, my lip stick isn't on my teeth or spread above or below the lip line, or they have the camera on my back side!!! Little things like that.

I'm having fun again. Hope you have a great week-end. Let me hear about it. Until then,

Grammyof13 signing off.

Life Happens.

Life may be getting somewhat back to normal for the hubby and me. He had a heart procedure last Tuesday, came home on Wednesday, and was taken to the ER on Friday with 104 temp. They released him this afternoon - sent him home with an anti-biotic, so we are getting settled in. It seems he had E-coli in his urine. After reading a few things about e-coli on the Internet, I am amazed to learn it is common.

Of course I had no clue it was a common cause of UTI, so I was afraid someone would blame me for unsanitary cooking or something. Wouldn't that make a good headline? "WIFE KILLS HUSBAND WITH CHICKEN!" Isn't that where it comes from? No it is from the handling of meat whether poultry or beef.

Sorry I didn't mean to argue with myself there. I'm on shaky ground trying to get this tired brain and weary body to concentrate. The Hospital is not a place for Well folks, I guess you know that. I tried to get there before 12 noon, so after lunch we could take our afternoon nap! Honestly we did! He slept in the bed, and I slept in the lounge chair. What else was there to do while I waited on the sick. Or was that "waited for the sick". Whichever, I saw to it he was being taken care of.

They have something new in hospitals now - Doctors who only work the hospital. They call them Hospitalists. Our local hospital has several who take care of the patients in the hospital, then release them to their PC when they are well. I never heard of it. That doesn't mean to say, that had we had a PC here in Conway, they'd have taken care of him. Live and learn. For sure things they are achanging!

Like I've said on numerous occasions, sometimes life happens on the way to Friday.

Grammyof13

Thought Provoking

This is one of the best explanations of why God allows pain and suffering I have seen...

A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed. As the barber began to work, they began to have a good conversation. They talked about so many things and various subjects. When they eventually touched on the subject of God, the barber said: "I don't believe th at God exists." "Why do you say that?" asked the customer. "Well, you just have to go out in the street to reali ze that God doesn't exist. Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children? If God existed, there would b e neither suffering nor pain. I can't imagine a loving God who would allow all of these things." The customer thought for a moment, but didn't respond because he didn't want to start an argument. The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop.

Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard. He looked dirty and unkempt. The customer turned back and entered the barber shop again and he said to the barber: "You know what? Barbers do not exist." "How can you say that?" asked the surprised barber.

"I am here, and I am a barber. And I just worked on you!" "No!" the customer exclaimed. "Barbers don't exist because if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside."

"Ah, but barbers DO exist! That's what happens when people do not come to me."

"Exactly!" affirmed the customer. "That's the point! God, too, DOES exist! That's what happens when people do not go to Him and don't look to Him for help. That's why there's so much pain and suffering in the world."

BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING TO OTHERS !!!!!

Grammyof13

Happy Birthday #1 Son!

On this day in 1962, after 30 hours of labor, I welcomed my first born son into a wintry world. There is something about the touch of your baby that brings warmth on a cold day. Regardless of how old a mother gets, the voluntary touch of a child brings a tenderness to an otherwise stiff from aging, exterior. A heart warms to life and hope again with the touch of ones child.

Especially when that helpless newborn was laid in my arms, with his own baby smells, and his touch against my face as he snuggled inside the "old" hospital blanket, we started our life time of getting acquainted, and I was warmed.

Elvis was also born on this day in 1935. Not that we lay claim to fame because of Elvis birth. There are several others who share the January 8th day.

January 8, 1947 David Bowie, London, singer and actor,
January 8, 1938 Bob Eubanks, born in Flint, Michigan, TV host, Newlywed Game
January 8, 1933 Charles Osgood, born in New York City, news anchor, CBS Weekend News
January 8, 1927 Jim Elliot, American Clergyman

Of these men born on January 8, I wonder if their mothers were there to see the success of their children. One thing about it, when a baby is laid in our arms, we are unlike Mary, Mother of Jesus, who knew the destiny of her son. We can only pray that we nurture them so they can grow into what God had planned for the life we hold.

As for me, I didn't have an inkling until he was about age 10 or 11. He was very gentle, kind, kinda shy. Had a way of commanding trust from anyone. Very smart and even with a few bad choices in those days, (which I can lay claim to a few bad choices as well), he has become one of the best men of our capitol city. He is the father of 3 daughters, the grandfather of 4 little boys, and has been married to Debbie since they were in their late teens. His chosen profession suits him well because of his caring and genuine love for people. He is a paramedic and a minister. His jobs coincide with each other until one seems to mesh with the other.

In his life thus far, he has been a certified mechanic, a carpenter, a plumber (by necessity), a musician & singer, a teacher, and is also on the SWAT team. Now what that entails, I can only guess. He lives his dream - on a houseboat docked on the Arkansas River. For the most part, loves his job, both as director of operations for MEMS our ambulance service, as well as Pastor of our congregation. He always seems to find time to visit the hospital, check on the widows, and encourage the discouraged, and still take Debbie out to eat before going to a high school football game where his youngest daughter is cheerleader.

I know, I know, I get tired just trying to follow in his footsteps on paper. So I'll quit busting my buttons off my PJ's and lay this blog down for today.

If you could meet him, you would love him. Trust me.

Happy Birthday Greg,

Grammyof13

Compatible?

For what ever reason, I have not thought of resolutions. I'm setting here cold to the bone, with the heat going and set at the normal 71 for the home. So when I am cold, I don't think of changes I need to make, or changes I should be making.

Come to think of it, I don't warm up until September 15, and then it is winter again. It isn't that I'm "getting" old, I can declare I have always been cold. Just ask my husband. When we go on a road trip, I take a blanket - (and it isn't in case we run into car trouble and find ourselves stranded on a lonely mountain road with 12' snow drifts) it is for my own comfort when he has the A/C going full blast with the temperature reading 35 outside.

I've complained to the point of begging, but he has to be comfortable if he is going to drive (in order to stay awake, he says). So I've improvised by loading my side of the car down with a pillow and a blanket. Doesn't that sound pitiful? Sounds cumbersome too!

Occasionally I get to be the chauffeur! (hee hee) I figure this is my day to show him how it feels to be uncomfortable. So I re-adjust the seat - push it back to a relaxed position, lay the seat back just enough to be comfy - regulate the tilt wheel to suit my need - then carefully reach for the heater controls!

We get out of the drive way and maybe a few blocks from home when he reaches for the heater controls. "You are burning me up!" he pitifully exclaims.

I reach to adjust them to my comfort again. We ride along for a few miles more when he is panting and needs air! His back is sweating, and beads of perspiration are starting to form on his head.

I decide I have more compassion than he! I at least turn the heater fan down a notch! One thing about it, he can't pull off any clothes to get relief. He already has a short sleeve on in this temperature.

Another thing, I set the radio to my station. Which is not what he listens to when he is driving. Occasionally we can agree on the choice of music, for I bring our CD's from home and we agree on them.

Compatible? There is not a lot of points of life we can vouch for compatibility. Opposites attract they say. So maybe our opposites is what has kept us going all these years.

• He is a people person,
• I just soon stay in doors and read.
• He speaks to everyone he passes on the street or in the grocery store.
• I go with one purpose and that is to get groceries and let others do the same.
• He never fails to tell family and friends he loves them before hanging up the phone.
• I might remember on occasion. I figured I said it yesterday and I haven't changed my mind.
• He would eat breakfast 3x a day. 2 eggs over medium with a stack of pancakes and sugar free syrup!
• Me, an egg or two a week is fine with me, and a cheese toast otherwise.
• Oh yes one point for us - we both drink coffee.
• He with sugar and cream.
• Me with cream only
• He could eat a gallon of Yarnell Home made Vanilla ice cream at one sitting.
• I gain 5lb by just having it in the freezer.
• He has been a truck driver for 32 years and won awards for safety.
• He wants to tell me where to turn, and how to turn, where the Hwy patrol hide out, how to set the speed control, how to stop at a red light - etc. etc. etc.
• Me, I tell him when to slow down, when not to run into the car in front of him, etc. etc. etc.

You get the point. I think I started this blog entry about being cold, and got off track and wound up here in a spot I need to get out of, don't you think?

Anyway, I grew up cold. When I rake over memories of winters past, I only remember trying to get warm. Hugging the wood stove, or the fire place, or the space heater. Wearing 3 or more layers of clothes. They call it thin blood in the elderly. I'm elderly, but it kinda blows the theory since I've been cold for 65+ years.

Thanks for reading this rummage today. I'll get back in the swing of things in the spring when the flowers start to bloom, the birds return, and I can see leaves budding in my forest, and I'm able to go out on the deck for some quiet time.

Happy New Year!

Grammyof13

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to you and yours. The year is almost a week old, and I've started the year off well by waiting until now to log. We had visitors (welcomed visitors I might add) on New Year's Eve. Without saying their names, we could do a guessing game here.
They are two boys.
Brothers
One just had a birthday the 23rd of Dec.
They both play a good baseball game.
They make me laugh
Oh Yes, and they have a way of getting revved up at midnight!

I have so many memories with these two, and this one will be added to my box of memories. We toasted the New Year at 11:30 so we could continue watching our movie. We figured it was already 2009 on the east coast or somewhere, so we'd get the toasting out of the way. At 1:30a on January 1, 2009, I got to lay down. Chandler (who is 12) insisted that I stay up and see the ending of the movie, so I obliged. Clay waited around (he is 9 but still my baby) for me to go to bed. He is my bed fellow when he visits. Chandler chooses to lounge with Papa.

We made the decision to go visit Daddy in Tenn. So leaving Friday we went to Martha's bed and breakfast (well she doesn't call it that, but her home is always open so we have tagged her house and our bed and breakfast). We visited Daddy on Saturday and Sunday. He seems to be slowing down for sure. He said very little and didn't seem up to company. Naturally we do not know when each visit will be the last, but we try to help him pass away some empty hours by being there for him. He says he is walking more so his legs will strengthen. Old age isn't pretty I've decided. Here is a man who has lived longer than the three score and ten the bible speaks of. His eye sight is failing, his hearing is almost gone and. Yet he can carry on a conversation when he is able to hear the feed back. Otherwise, we let him talk about the new president, "I hope he does some good. Him being a black man, I just wonder. I know Bill Clinton was one of the best presidents we ever had".

He talked about his years of trapping, and the furs he sold. "caught a pole cat (skunk) one time. Sarah really threw a fit when I came home with that smell on me! I learned the hard way never to do that again! Caught a Bob Cat and several minks along with Fox and Rabbit. I made $500 off of 5 fur one time."

I calculated the year and realized that $500 looks good today, but it looked a whole lot better back in the 70's.

"I know one thing," he continued. "Sarah was a great helper. She could stretch a dollar and she helped me save. She was a good 'un."

All in all the conversation may have lasted 45 minutes when he stopped and never really got started again. I tried asking a few questions to keep him going, but communication was difficult, and the answers he gave, let me know he had not understood.

We'll try to go again soon.

In the mean-time, we'll take it a day at a time and judge our going on reports we received from my sisters who see him almost daily.

Happy New Year!

grammyof13