WHAT IS THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT?

When I became a Christian about thirty-eight years ago, a strange feeling came upon mne. I began to dislike Christmas and all the busy-ness that went with it. I wanted to concentrate on the spiritual side of the holidays and somehow couldn't because of all the activities that went with them.

I had so much more to do then than I do now: shopping for tons of people, baking all types of goodies to give as gifts, sending out Christmas cards, picking out and decorating the tree, decorating the rest of the house, wrapping presents, going to tons of parties and on and on. No matter how hard I tried to get that mysterious undefinable feeling that is called the Christmas spirit back, I just couldn't and haven't for a long time.

Over the years I just learned to accept it and somehow get through all the tasks, occasionally experiencing little glimpses of the magic I used to associate with Chrstmas. I still collected my manger scenes and enjoyed setting them out each year.

This year is different, however, and I don't know why. Maybe it was the rest in Florida for a month, maybe it's because my life is not as hectic. Whatever it is, I'm enjoying it thoroughly. I brought out my manger scenes and the little artificial fiber optic Christmas trees and stuck them in the front windows, both upstairs and down. I adorned the front porch and three holly bushes in front of the house with lots and lots of tiny colored lights. And I turned on the white lights that stay year round on the ficus tree in the dining room.

I wouldn't say that I've gone all out in decorating, but it's just enough to suit me. Tomorrow (the 23rd) is going to be my day for cooking. I'm cooking a turkey, then cutting it off of the bone and putting it in chicken stock to store in the refrig. Then all I have to do is heat it up and make the gravy. I'll make all the other stuff, dressing, squash casserole, bread and have it all ready to heat'n'serve Christmas Eve night, when the Nashville family all gathers at our house. (Because of my recent battle with oysters, I'm ommiting the scalloped oysters this year.) Brenda and Laurie will bring two other dishes each.

So once again we will be well fed and excited to open presents after dinner. And I won't be so tired from spending all day in the kitchen; I can really enjoy the gift openings.

To all my readers out there, I hope you all have a very merry Christmas, and will truly enjoy it. Maybe we will even turn off all the lights except for the Christmas ones and play inspiring music.

Actually, that will probably have to occur on Christmas night when everyone is gone. I can't see the grandchildren getting into that scene!

BAD COLDS

When I came home from Florida the latter part of November, the genius had been in the middle of a bad cold. I was very compassionate and tried to be patient when he moaned and groaned. Then just about the time he was getting over that, he came down with a fresh cold and cough. (Of course that's what happens when you burn the candle at both ends.)

Still, I tried to commiserate with him and to be as sympathetic as I could. I pampered him with delicious hot meals. In fact, I believe I could have gotten a good angel award for my admirable behavior.

Thursday afternoon I began to feel somewhat under the weather myself -- my throat began to itch, my chest felt tight, and the sneezes started. I was not a happy camper, to say the least.

After a sleepless night of coughing, I was not feeling too hot Friday morning, but I was trying to be my happy cheerful self. As we were driving out in the car that morning, a little moan escaped from my lips, and he snarled, "Oh boy, I can see that this is going to be a great weekend."

I said, Wait a minute!! Hold on!!! I'm not allowed to say I feel bad when I have a cold??? I have listened to you for weeks about how bad you felt and how hard it was to keep going, etc., etc., etc. I've tried my best to be a good wife to you while you were trudging through the mess, and you have the gall to growl at me because I groaned a little???

Actually, I didn't say all that, just a short version of it. But I got my point across. Ever since then he has been very sweet and helpful. But I sincerely hope that we will get back to good health soon.

It's definitely not fun to be sick anytime, but especially at Christmas!!!!

ALL TIME FAVORITE BOOKS

Every now and then I come across a passage out of a book I'm reading and I'm captivated with the message, the way it is written, and how it hits me where I live. The following quote from The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield is an example of what I'm talking about.

There is something about words. In expert hands, maniputated deftly, they take you prisoner. Wind themselves around your limbs like spider silk, and you are so enthralled you cannot move, they pierce your skin, enter your blood, numb your thoughts. Inside you they work their magic.

This one paragraph describes how I feel so many times when I'm reading the Scriptures, for instance. The words indeed "work their magic" in me as I ponder what I've just read. And what better hands could the words be manipulated by than the Spirit of God? No wonder the Bible is still the #1 bestseller!

But I also feel this way when I read an excellent novel. I get so caught up in reading it that I think about it while I go about my business during the day and when I'm falling asleep at night. Sometimes I even dream about certain aspects of the book.

If I'm really taken with the author, I will try to get all the books he/she has written and read them all. And these I don't rush through so I can savor the experience for as long as possible. I'm doing that very thing now with James Herriot, the Yorkshire vet who wrote hilariously about his adventures treating animals. I recently ordered five of his books and started at the beginning (All Creatures Great and Small). I'm taking my time going through it so I can admire and appreciate his "way with words." He was a genius at using just enough exaggeration of an incident to make it really funny.

I think it would be interesting to hear from readers about what books have given you the most enjoyment over the years. Like we did with movies. And it doesn't have to be just fiction.

I'll go first: my favorite all time book is Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand, which I read the first time in 1960 when I was 21.

Let's see how you do with this assignment!!

LEARNING TO BE A HOUSEWIFE

When I was in Florida during the month of November, I had plenty of opportunities to work in the kitchen. Sometimes it was cleaning up after one of the sisters had cooked, sometimes I did the cooking myself. But the most interesting times for me were when all three of us sisters were cooking at the same time.

We all have different styles and ideas about cooking and we are all pretty strong minded women. So, while we all tolerated each other extremely well, it was obvious at least to me that this was just another area in which we are different.

BJ and MA are more alike in their "kitchen views" but they cook most of their meals at home whereas the genius and I are likely to eat out several times a week. Both sisters are excellent cooks, but at the same time, they are very smart shoppers, buying sale items, etc. Also, they don't waste a thing, saving leftovers, recycling ziplock backs, and washing and reusing disposable cups. Everything they do in the kitchen is designed to be tasty and healthy and doing so with the least expenditure.

And then I step into the picture. My cooking philosophy is to make the food taste as delicious as I can and I do it lavishly. My grocery basket is always filled with real butter, real cream, meats straight from the butcher, extra thick paper towels, and nothing low fat. (The other day we ran out of butter at home and the genius asked me if I had any other "spreads" in the refrigerator. I said, "Absolutely not!") So my grocery bill is always higher than theirs.

After 48 years of cooking for the genius, I have also learned to make plenty of whatever I'm making. That's another way I am different from my sisters. BJ and MA tend to cut back on the servings for their husbands because they don't "need" it, while my feeling is to give them as much as they want. Chun laughingly says that MA is "always telling me what I need!" If I don't give the genius as much as he wants he just goes to the pantry and eats something else in addition to the meal.

Well, I am happy to report that I learned something from them while watching them cook in Florida. For one thing, I save the leftovers and have them for lunch the next day. Also, I have begun to buy my groceries from Walmart and am saving a bundle. And I'm cooking more and eating out less. And best of all, I finally learned from BJ how to whip up good cornbread. I've probably cooked it 4 or 5 times since I've been back. The genius loves all these changes!

I may yet become a good house frau!!

CHANGES, CHANGES

Whew!!! I finally get a day to myself at home. It's been a busy weekend and yesterday was a day of going to the doctor and later picking up grandchildren. So today is definitely braless and at home (sorry, Tsquared, for the mental image).

Today is also math exam day for the genius, so I definitely won't see much of him. He will be grading, calculating grades, and writing comments to each set of parents for the rest of the week. THEN, we can relax and enjoy the holidays while he has a little spare time. We get somewhat of a preview of what it will be like when he retires (if he ever does!).

Life is full of adjustments. First, I had a very busy career as a mother for twenty some odd years, then I had to adjust to a life of balancing school and tennis, then on to 18 years of teaching. Adjusting to retirement when my life suddenly became slower and more peaceful was not difficult. What I wonder is if I can as easily get used to having the genius around full time. I've become somewhat accustomed to keeping my own schedule so I'm sure there will be some compromises for both of us. But my adjustment will be nothing compared to his. To stop working after so many years of putting in 16-18 hour days will be quite a change for him!

And speaking of changes, my body has had some interesting temperature shifts over the years. First, as a child and most of my adult life, I was freezing all the time except in the heat of summer. Then I began to be hotter natured than almost everyone around me, which I attributed to women problems and the gaining of weight. Then in September, when I stopped drinking, an amazing phenomenom occurred. I am now back to being cold again. I've had to raise the temp in the house and also put on layers of clothes to keep warm this winter. It's amazing that alcohol and the lack of it could make such a difference.

I would go back to Florida this winter, but instead I have opted for a month in Phoenix where I can be with my family.

Besides, IT'S FREE!

NOw I KNOW HOW TO RELAX!!

Now that I've retired my days are divided into two different types: bra and bra-less. I know, I know, that's more than you wanted to know about a grandmother of eight, but I'm spilling the beans anyway (no pun intended).

It's great to kick back when I'm at home and not to be "bound up" all day; I just never realized how much freedom I would feel in this little state of "undress," but I recommend it highly. It makes me appreciate all the burning of bras in the sixties. At last I can fully understand what that was about.

Anyway, I don't subject myself to the public (or vise-versa) without a bra on. If I'm going anywhere, even running to the store, I am fully "trussed up." But it sure is nice on the days I stay home all day.

You may wonder what the reaction of the genius is to this, but I can tell you he is the master of not noticing what I look like. In fact, he is almost completely unobservant when it comes to seeing what women are wearing. A girl I played tennis with once told me a story that proves my point.

She was working for IBM and it just happened that the genius was her manager. He assigned her to a very active account, and she was having to work long hours. She was so upset with him that she decided to try to make a point and wore the same dress three days in a row, hoping he would think she hadn't even had time to change clothes. Alas, it fell flat; he never picked up on it.

When she told me about the incident years later, I had a hearty laugh because I knew the plan would never have worked on the genius.

My writing was just interrupted by a call from the man himself and when he heard what the subject was, he said, "Omigosh! Now remember, this goes out to the world, I don't want hordes of people coming to our door!"

Isn't that fabulous?!? He believes that I could draw in a multitude just by saying I don't wear a bra at home.

Love truly is blind. BLESS HIM!!

A NEW JOURNEY ON A WAGON

Sometime in September I decided to quit drinking. People naturally ask why, and it's difficult to answer that question. What I tell them is that wine was becoming too important in my life -- i.e. it was controlling me instead of the other way around. But what has been very interesting to me is others' reaction to this news.

Most people have been very supportive. My family, in particular, has been wonderful and encouraging in this endeavor. I tell them to continue drinking in my presence --it really doesn't bother me, and most do. I still have a great time at parties, and lo and behold, the next day I remember what happened at them.

On the other hand, there have been those who are uncomfortable with my decision and have avoided me like the Plague. One couple whom we used to see almost every weekend has quit calling us. The last three times we were with them the husband said several times, "You're just no fun anymore." So it looks like we have actually lost friends over this.

The other night we dropped by the club for a sandwich in the lounge and ran into another couple we hadn't seen in a while. The wife for some reason always announces to whomever she is with that she is only having one glass of wine because she is driving. She refers to it several time during the conversation throughout the evening. I was used to that, but this time when I announced that I had quit, both of them were very interested. The husband, who drinks quite a bit himself, was very supportive, but the wife couldn't let it go.

She continued to ask me about my decision, plying me with questions. Finally, she said, "You just have to make up your mind ahead of time and have only one glass!"

I felt like saying, "Been there, done that, my dear; it just doesn't work!" But instead, I said, "I would really like to do that, but once I have one, I relax and my resistance goes south and before I know it, I've had three!"

With that, she tapped her head and replied, "It's all up here."

How do you answer that?!!

I graciously decided to let it drop and enjoy my meal!!

LOUNGING AT HOME

Ahhh, a day at home. Well, at least most of it. This afternoon I pick up Jay after basketball practice, then get Annie, take them to their house and wait for Jim IV to arrive (with dinner, I hope). But the rest of the day I will lounge at home and enjoy myself.

Yesterday I had bridge club at a gorgeous home about ten miles away from my house. In fact, it was on the same road that my parents built a house about 40 years ago. They had several enjoyable years there until Daddy had what they thought was a stroke (it was actually the onset of a brain tumor). Then they moved back into town so they could be closer to doctors, etc.

But this house I went to yesterday was built on the top of a hill overlooking a valley. Most of the valley has built up now, but there are still enough farms left to make you feel you are in a rural area.

There was a deck all across the back of the house and the great room where we played had a wall of windows overlooking the valley. I could hardly play bridge for looking at the view; maybe that's why my partner and I finished near the bottom. Oh well, my winning streak was bound to end at some point.

We had a delicious lunch of creamed chicken over cornbread, cranberry congealed salad, and peppermint ice cream over a brownie for dessert. I really wanted to nap afterwards.

The weather has turned warmer; maybe I will get some outside decorating done today. I do like it when the house looks festive for Christmas.

WONDERFUL THREE DAYS

Sometimes weekends turn out to be so-so and other times they are fabulous! The latter was the case for us this past weekend -- it was GREAT!!

It began on Friday night with my cousin David and his wife Betty who surprised us with a visit from Memphis. He was one of my "town" Mississippi cousins who grew up in Oxford, so of course we saw him every summer. We even stayed with them some when we were not "roughing it" out in the country with our other relatives. We loved to walk the 2-3 blocks to the square and have sundaes at his father's drugstore. (The store is there still, but it's a bookstore now.)

He did his undergrad work here at Vanderbilt and we grew closer during that time, going out a few times for a beer, if I remember correctly. He calls me occasionally when he comes to town on "lawyer" business. When he called this time, I quickly gathered up the sisters and husbands and we all convened at Sperry's, our favorite restaurant in Nashville. We really had a great time, laughing until we cried. David is sooo funny -- has that Lauderdale quick wit.

Then what can I say about Saturday? The genius and I were ecstatic over the Gator-Bama game. Now it's on to the National Championship bowl vs. Oklahoma.

Last night we attended a wonderful Christmas faculty party at the genius's school. It's always good to see everyone and have excellent food. We were somewhat anxious about the BCS selection and I finally called my cousin Jane who was monitoring the situation at home, and got the word that the Gators were definitely in the finals. She of course was interested in Ole Miss and where they were playing, but she gave me the news about Florida and we could relax and enjoy the party.

So a good time was had by us all weekend. I love seeing people I haven't seen in a while and partying with them.

Christmastime is great!!! If it just weren't sooooo COLD!!

NEW FRIEND (COUSIN?)

I finally got out to Hendersonville to visit BJ and Jerry and their new dog Monty. He is half Pomeranian and half Shih Tzu. What a little ball of fur he is. And so aggressive.

He chased Rufus around and around while Jesse sat on the sofa and watched. She was definitely above all the male antics!! Every time Monty would put his paws on the sofa where she was, she would growl at him. She, who is usually so mild. But Rufus and he had a blast. I'm sure he must be sleeping and resting now (Rufus is!) because all they did while I was there was run around and play.

Below are two pictures of them.

SELF-DIAGNOSING MY ILLNESS

Several people have questioned me about my illness in Florida. If it were a virus, why didn't anyone else get it? If it were food poisoning, why did it last so long? If it were salmonella-caused, it would have lasted longer, according to three medical people in my family. So I set out to do some research.

These are the facts in the case: 1) I ate raw oysters on Tuesday and Wednesday nights at two different restaurants. 2) On Saturday morning I woke up to diarrhea and fever. 3) The illness lasted five days.

According to my calculations, 86 hours passed between eating the first batch of oysters and the onset of symptoms. The second batch was eaten 62 hours before Saturday morning. The second restaurant was definitely not very clean; Brenda and I noticed some unsanitary practices when we ate there another night.

Now on to the research. I looked up salmonellosis (the virus caused by the salmonella germ) and it is caused from eating raw foods, such as eggs or oysters. The incubation period is anywhere from 12 - 72 hours. And it lasts from 4-7 days.

I'm convinced if anyone else isn't.

No more raw oysters (sob!!) for me!!

ANOTHER GENIUS TALE

While I was in Florida, the genius had lunch with his sister and her husband. She reminded him about an experience he had with his first BB gun when he was a child. I knew that he had always been a stickler for doing the right thing, and this story proves it.

He was about eight years old when he got his first BB gun, an event that occurred to many boys his age growing up in the South in the forties and fifties. His father told him he could shoot at starlings and sparrows, but killing any other kind of bird was illegal. So he set out to bag his first bird.

The problem was that sparrows were too small to hit and the feathers on a starling deflected any BB so effectively that it was almost impossible to bring one down. The only way to do it was to hit it right between the eyes.

One day he was trying yet again, and he got so discouraged he just turned his gun on a bright red cardinal and shot. You guessed it -- he hit it right between the eyes and he fell over instantly dead.

Before that bird even hit the ground the genius was crying hysterically. He knew he had done a terrible thing. When his father came home that night, of course he confessed his sin right away.

The genius suspects that his father was getting ready to tell him that he had done wrong, but had learned a good lesson when his son broke in with, "Daddy, I broke the law, and we have to report it!"

So the wise father took his son by the hand down the street to a neighbor who just happened to be a game warden. The man told him he would let him off this time, but not to do it again.

Then they went back home and buried the cardinal.

This little story shows the side of the genius's personality that is still very prevelant today: wrong behavior has consequences.

Just ask any student he has ever had!!

RAMBLING THOUGHTS ON A GRAY DAY

Well, back to the same old, same old. No more walks on the beach, sunning on the deck, eating fresh seafood (not fresh enough, apparently), and watching gorgeous sunsets over the Gulf. In fact, no sun at all. The last two days we've been socked in by heavy clouds, rain, and cold. How soon can I pack to go back??

I did sneak a peek at the 10 day forecast at the Cape and it's mostly sunny days in the 60's. I wish I could have brought a little of that back with me.

But let's face it; it's just not Christmas-y in that kind of weather. So I'll be content to stay here and get ready for the holidays and enjoy the Christmas lights and colors that show up so much better on dark days than on sunny ones.

Jesse is back with us today. Boy, has Rufus missed her and apparently, vice versa. My daughter-in-law tells me that she has been depressed since Rufus left. You would never know it now. Even though I never said a word to Rufus, he got up on his perch this morning, looking and watching, as if he knew that she would be here soon. Of course, he's in for a very rude awakening because he has to go to the groomers today and Jesse is not going. Oh well, it's just for a few hours and then they can play to their hearts' content.

Ah, a dog's life. My niece tells me she wants to come back in the next life as my dog. Come to think of it, I don't lead a life very different from his -- eat, sleep, play, bathe, have friends over, etc.

As I've said before, RETIREMENT IS GREAT!!!

I'M BACK!!

I sincerely hope that everyone had a happy Thanksgiving yesterday; I know the genius and I did. We spent it with my cousins at their lake house plus 45 of their nearest and dearest friends. This is a family tradition that dates back probably thirty years when my aunt and uncle hosted it. Now it has been taken over by the next generation and the numbers have really grown.

Brenda and I made it back Wednesday night from the Cape. Unfortunately, I had spent my last several days there in bed, sick with food poisoning that started on Saturday. At my age it takes a while to snap back from something like that, and I'm still feeling somewhat rocky. But I refuse to let the illness spoil my memories of a great few weeks at the Cape!!

The good news is I lost some weight!! The bad news is that I'm sure that it will come back easily as soon as my appetite is restored.

The genius told us a funny story that happened to him while I was gone. He went to the grocery and because he was hungry, he stopped by the deli and picked up a reuben sandwich, which he ate before checking out. He had decided to just give the empty container with the bar code on it to the checkout lady.

When he went to check out, there were long lines and he, never being one to wait in line for anything, decided to do the self check out thingy. So he meandered over and started scanning his items. He came to the empty carton and scanned it and put it in the bag, as the voice directed him. But because the weight was gone the "voice lady" couldn't pick it up. So he put his finger in the bag and pushed down what he thought a sandwich would weigh. That was fine, but when he removed his hand, the voice came back on -- "Put the item in the bag!"

So what was he to do? Keep one hand in the bag and try to check out and pay, etc. with it still there? He asked for help but they were busy and couldn't. Finally, I guess he timed out or whatever, but at last his purchase was accepted. But I can see him now trying to keep one finger pushed down and frantically doing all the other tasks with his other hand.

Wouldn't that make a great skit for Mr. Bean?!?

JIM'S LAST DAY

Well, here it us Wednesday. Jim leaves tomorrow and Brenda comes on Friday afternoon, so Rufus and I will have the place to ourselves for a couple of days and one night. As much as I enjoy company, I look forward to having some time to myself and doing just what I want when I want. Of course, I will have no car, so I have to make sure I have all the food I need.

Jim and I have had some great meals out and we are now hanging out in Cafe La Leche where they have wireless. We just had a great lunch at Papa Joe's Oyster Bar and tonight we will have one more seafood meal at an oyster bar up the street from us at the Cape. (Have I ever mentioned that Appalachicola is the oyster capitol of the South?)

Yesterday we found a Family Dollar store in Appalachicola that had the most incredible bargains. We bought a DVD player for $30, a toaster oven for $10, and an Ipod for $15.00. We also loaded up on ear phones, which were $2.00 each. We always seem to need them for trips with the kids so we don't have to listen to their music or movies.

Then we went to a Movie Gallery and rented 6 movies. Last night we watched two of them. And we'll probably watch 2 more tonight. I'm going to donate the oven to the house down here and probably the DVD player also. They knocked a bunch of money off of the rent for November because of our condo situation, so this is my way of thanking them.

And maybe they'll knock off some next year if I decide to come back to the same place!!

THE NEXT INSTALLMENT OF GUESTS

Sooooo, Jim IV arrived today, BJ and Jerry are leaving early in the morning, and Brenda will come down on Friday. I hate to see BJ and Jerry leave; we have had a lot of fun. But they will be looking forward to getting home to their new puppy, Monty.

Jerry doesn't like sudden loud noises and he has had to put up with plenty of that down here. In the first place, jets go over from Tyndall Air Force Base all the time, sometimes breaking the sound barrier. The boom shakes the whole house and startles us all, but especially Jerry. Also, the other night we were eating dinner with Rufus under the table going for the crumbs. All of a sudden, he came forth with one of his loud shrill barks and Jerry's fork flew straight up in the air and landed on the floor. BJ and I laughed so hard we could hardly eat.

Changing the subject, remember when I talked the other day about Intruder in the Dust, the movie made from a book of William Faulkner's that featured our uncle's house in it? Well, I found a copy online and ordered it. I can hardly wait to watch it and relive those memories of when we used to visit Oxford and stay in that house.

I sincerely hope the movie is better than the book. Faulkner is not one of my favorite authors. I read Intruder at some point in my life and the main thing that stands out was that one sentence of his went on for seven pages!! I'm serious!!

That could be one reason I don't particularly like his books!

THE SEARCH FOR ICE CREAM

Well, MA and Chun left this morning; I hated to see them go because we had such a good time together.

Last night we had our last meal here. I'll have to say that I have really been pampered by my two sisters. They have planned and cooked every meal since we have been here except for the ones we ate out. Also, I did bring down a chicken casserole I had made and frozen, but other than that, that's the extent of the cooking I have done. I have cleaned up the dishes several times, but the kitchen is so close to the dining area that I almost feel like I'm still at the table with them while they sit around it and talk. Altogether, it's been very enjoyable.

Last night I was loading the dishwasher and I asked, "Who wants ice cream?"

Someone said we didn't have enough, and I answered, "I wasn't talking about here; I'm talking about going to the little store for some cones."

Well, we jumped into the car and drove over to the store only to arrive just as it was closing. So we turned around and started back. Then someone suggested we drive into Port St. Joe and get some at the Piggly Wiggly. So we all agreed this was a good idea and proceeded to drive the 10 miles over there, even though it was raining.

Of course, while we were in the store, we had to stock up on some other things (56.00 worth). And then we came back and had some great pralines and cream ice cream. What started out to be a little jaunt to get ice cream cones turned into a major shopping spree!

Oh, Well, it's little spur of the moment ideas that can be so much fun. We laughed and joked all the way over there and back.

And Rufus enjoyed the ride, too!

MEMORIES IN MISSISSIPPI

I mentioned yesterday that the sisters and I have been discussing a lot of memories and one of them that came up was the house that belonged to one of our uncles. Uncle Andrew (pronounced Andra, I don't know why) at one time lived in Oxford just off the square in a very interesting house. We three girls were fascinated because of its unusual qualities.

From the outside it looked like a two story mansion with columns and a front porch. Then when you walked inside there was a big hall that went all the way to the back. On each side of the hall were big rooms and as I recall the kitchen was at the back of the house. The house was nice and roomy and airy too with the breeze coming in the tall windows and blowing through the house.

It was the upstairs that was so unlike other houses because it housed the town jail. Enclosed steps led up off of the back porch up to the second level and there you could walk in and see the cells. I barely remember that, but the sisters both had more memories than I and could supply more details.

They remember when our aunt would take up plates full of food to the prisoners three times a day. Sometimes she would even let them help!! Virtually all of the prisoners were men and they were usually brought in for being drunk. MA also recalled playing in the yard and looking up and seeing faces at the window watching them. She said it was a creepy feeling.

We realized at the time what a novelty it was to visit someone who lived in a jailhouse, but amazingly we were never afraid. We probably realized that the prisoners were pretty harmless or Uncle Andrew wouldn't have let us stay.

In the fifties Hollywood made a movie from one of William Falkner's books entitled Intruder in the Dust. In it the house was featured because someone was arrested and brought to the jailhouse. We all went to see it, of course, and were enthralled to see our uncle's house shown off in such a prominent way. The movie also starred Nashville's own Claude Jarman when he was a teenager so that added to the excitement. As I recall, Intruder was not that big a hit and I don't remember being all that enthralled with the plot. But I do remember the thrill of seeing the familiar places that we knew so well in Oxford being shown on the big screen for all the world to see.

I've been trying and trying to imagine this sort of thing taking place today, but those were the fifties (before drugs came on the scene) and the worst crime in a small town like that was usually having one too many in a back alley.

MORE FROM THE CAPE

We're still having a great time down here. MA and Chun arrived about 5:00 on Saturday afternoon after an uneventful trip down. (Except in Dothan they got stuck in the Peanut Festival traffic.) I keep thinking I'll take a picture of the three of us and post it, but so far I've been too lazy.

We've had some good home cooked meals (by MA and BJ; I'm not into cooking on vacation). We've sunned and read books and talked a lot about old times. We have some good memories, I will say that.

Last night we went to our old favorite, Papa Joe's Oyster Bar in Appalachacola and it did not disappoint us. Their fried oysters were as good as ever. I even bought myself another one of their T shirts to sleep in. They are very soft and comfortable for wearing anytime.

Then we came back here and drove out to see some of the damage to the cape from the water surge from Ike. Even though Ike hit in Texas, the surge from it damaged both the road and some of the houses (including the condos where we were to stay). We could also look down the beach and see how close they are to said condos to pumping in more sand for the beach in front of them. We then bought some ice cream cones to finish off our meal.

This morning we went to Port St. Joe for breakfast at Sisters so MA and Chun could have that great experience. One of the owners is a Tennessee fan and one is a Florida State supporter, so I made sure to wear one of my many Gator shirts. I told Chun beforehand that the proprietor was for Tennessee and he said, "Don't tell her I am; I'm too embarassed this year."

We had a good breakfast and were back here in time for some good sunning on the deck. The wind was a little cool, but it felt good to me.

We're all getting brown as berries and soooo healthy looking!!

SUN TIME IS FUN TIME

We've settled into a regular schedule here at the Cape. We get up about 7:00 or 7:30(except for Jerry who arises much earlier and is usually walking the beach by the time we get up). Then we take it easy drinking coffee and lounging around planning our day. Everyone is on his/her own for breakfast unless we fix a big fattening one and then about 10:00 BJ and Jerry head for the beach.

I stay on the back deck because I can hear the phone and Rufus can stay with me. Of course, I am getting too much sun, but it sure feels good to soak it up. Think of all the endorphins and Vitamin D I am getting! There's usually a nice breeze and it is very comfortable. This is definitely the best time of year to come down here.

In the afternoon we read or go to the store in Port St. Joe. Then we have a delicious dinner that BJ has usually fixed for us.

At night it's in the fifties, so I just don my Gator windbreaker when I take Rufus outside for the nightly walk. And speaking of the Gators, the fans around here were very happy over the Georgia game. Everyone I talked to was ecstatic.

Jim IV told me that Jesse seems a little depressed without Rufus to play with. Now I feel bad that I didn't bring her too. But he is enjoying himself walking the beach, etc.

Tomorrow MA and Chun are coming down. There's no telling what we three sisters can get into!!

FUN IN THE SUN AT CAPE SAN BLAS

OK, folks, it's back to the Dark Ages!! We don't have wireless here at the beach house, so the other day BJ and I took our laptops to the parking lot of a real estate office and got on. That's how I was able to post a message the other day. Then we remembered DIAL UP!! Why didn't I think of that before? Anyway, BJ can get it on hers; I can't because the week before I came down my computer got a virus and in order to fix it, we had to erase the hard drive and start over. AOL, my dial up connection, wasn't put back on. So I'm using hers to check mail, obits, etc.

I had forgotten the awful sound the dial up connection makes. AND the long waits between web addresses, etc. I remember I used to read a book while I was on the computer when we had it on dial up and would read while I waited for things to load. Ah well, it's amazing how it all comes back and how appreciative I am to have any connection to the outside world via the internet.

We are still having great weather here. Today there was not a cloud anywhere and the temp was supposed to reach 80 degrees. It was certainly hot here on the front deck, where I get my vitamin D. I stay here rather than go to the beach with BJ and Jerry because that way I can have Rufus with me. I just block off the opening to the steps with some upended chairs and he stays right on the porch with me or when he gets too hot, he goes inside and watches me.

As usual, he is having a ball on his vacation, but I'm sure he misses Jesse. Maybe next time I can manage both.

Actually, BJ and Jerry have acquired a little dog themselves: one that is half shihtzu and half pomeranian. The little feller was too young to make the trip (only 6 weeks) so he is staying with one of her daughters until she returns. So next year Rufus can play with Monty (short for Montana).

MA and Chun are coming down this Saturday, so we will have the whole family here. What fun we will have!!

I just hope we can behave and not be called down by the restaurant personel for being too loud like we were once in Vicksburg, MS!! THREE TIMES!

AT THE CAPE

Well, we are here and loving it. The house is great -- one bedroom and bath on the main floor and 2 more of the same on the top floor. This place is actually much nicer than the condos where we stayed before but the location is not as good. It faces the beach, but is a little walk to it. The others were right on it, but that's also the reason they are not available anymore. They were washed away.

Jerry, BJ, Rufus and I made it down in record time. We only stopped for gas and at rest areas. At one of the rest areas we spread out a nice picnic lunch of fried chicken, potato salad, stuffed eggs, and fresh fruit salad. I had put it all together the day before and it tasted very good. But then picnic food always does.

I'll try to get a picture downloaded to my computer so you can see what the place looks like. Rufus has adjusted to it nicely.

On another subject, we had a ball at the luncheon on Friday and came up with a name for our group: Burro Babes. (The burro was our high school mascot.) We all had a great time telling funny stories, and finally one of the others said, "When did you all get so funny? I don't remember y'all being this way."

We laughed and decided that we were too uptight in high school to be witty. We were too busy trying to get dates and that was a serious business.

We're much more relaxed and happy now and can say what's on our minds.

ANSWERING COMMENTS

Yesterday’s blog brought some comments from T², our eldest grandson, who lives in Surprise, AZ (isn’t that a cool name?). He’s the genius electrical engineer who’s married to another genius electrical engineer. His comments always make me laugh, but this time they were particularly funny and deserve an answer.

Tom, I think I’ll pass on the suggestion for the costumes; I just don’t have the time or energy since I’m leaving for Florida tomorrow. By the way, I have remembered the last time I dressed up and it was kind of lame. The genius (senior) and I had sweat shirts that said on them “I’d Rather Fight Than Switch” (a reference to an ad for Tareyton cigarettes) and painted black eyes on ourselves. As I said, pretty bad. That was probably about 40 years ago.

I don’t know how to take the second comment about my senility (or lack of). There seems to be a veiled suggestion that I have always acted a little senile. And of course, that would be true. Or maybe airhead is a better term.

As for your dad taking care of Rufus, I observed the two together while he was visiting with us in September and your father didn’t seem all that enamored with my precious baby. So I think I will pass on that suggestion, also. Of course, once I’m gone, I’ll have very little say in the matter.

Then you thanked me for NOT talking about politics in the blog. Believe me, I wouldn’t waste any more cyberspace talking about that subject. Is everyone else as tired of this election as I am? I feel like it’s been years instead of months that we’ve been bombarded with every little detail. I’ll just be glad when Tuesday comes. And please, Lord, don’t let it be strung out like it was in 2000.

To switch subjects, I’d like to explain who Horchada is for those who might have read Miktrue’s comments yesterday. Mike and Ashley have two labs: the first (a chocolate one) they named Kahlua because of his color. Then when Horchada (I thought it was Orchada because they don’t pronounce the H) came along, he was white so they named him for a white Mexican drink. Only my son-in-law who doesn’t imbibe would name their two dogs after alcoholic beverages.

One more note: Horchada is a Marley (a dog in a book entitled Marley and Me. I highly recommend reading it, or you may want to just wait and see the movie). He is huge and hyper and gets into all kinds of trouble. Just a few weeks ago he and Kahlua got into a big bag of chocolate chips and made themselves so sick they had to spend the night at the vet’s with IV’s etc. That little trick set the family back $800. And that’s just the beginning. I could spend a few blogs talking about the antics of that dog. Can you imagine what it will be like when Rufus gets into the mix in February when I take him to visit?

Well, this is a long blog today, but it is the last one for a while. I may be able to get wireless occasionally when I’m in Florida, but I’m not sure. If so, I’ll try to write a few times and maybe put some pictures online.

Until then, ADIOS!!

RANDOM RAMBLINGS

OK, I'm over it. I grew tired of looking at the gray temples and decided to have another go at the coloring of my hair. I'm not greatly pleased at the outcome, but at least I don't have to look at the gray temples anymore.

And besides, the high school girls are meeting for lunch tomorrow (I think we need a "name"; I'm tired of calling us the high school girls) and I surely want to look my best for that!

I love meeting with them; I feel we are getting closer each time we get together. It's really strange because before the 50th reunion I didn't think about them very much. Now I really look forward to each gathering.

Wanda (an appropriate name for Halloween) has agreed to host a Halloween luncheon at her house in Franklin. We can dress in costume if we wish, but I think I'll just go in jeans. Maybe I'll purchase a mask of some kind. It's been years since I've done anything like this; do you suppose it's a sign of senility that we would revert back to childhood games?

Speaking of age, when I took Rufus for his annual checkup, the vet said he could live to be 15 or 20 years of age. At first I didn't think anything of it, but then I begAn to do the math, and it now seems very possible that Rufus could outlive one or both of us. That's a scary thought to the other members of the family!!

Take good care of him, kids, or I will come back to haunt you!!

TOO OLD TO RUN

This morning I had made an appointment to have Rufus and Jesse groomed and drove them to PetSmart in Hundred Oaks Shopping Center. The area is full of trucks and heavy equipment due to a complete renovation of the mall. It's always a pain to maneuver around all of that, but this morning it was particularly harrowing.

I had managed to get both dogs into the car, dragging Rufus because he is always suspicious when we go anywhere in the early mornings. He knows it's either to the vet or to the groomers, both of which he dislikes intensely. This morning he refused to get into the car, period.

Jesse, on the other hand, was excited and jumped right in. So when we arrived at our destination, I picked Rufus up and got Jesse out of the car on her leash. But she saw where we were and didn't want to budge. I made the mistake of pulling her and the collar slid right over her head. Then she took off.

I threw Rufus back in the car and took out after her running and calling her, praying that no car or truck would hit her. Finally I cornered her at a fence and was able to pick her up. When I turned around there were three others behind me, all from PetSmart, chasing along with me. They had seen through the window what had happened and were ready to help out.

Whew!! What a scary experience!! But I learned a couple of things in the process: 1) pick Jesse up next time, and 2) I'M TOO OLD TO RUN!!!

FOOTBALL AND MORE FOOTBALL

College football! How we love it!! It's been an interesting season thus far. The Gators really piled it on Kentucky on Saturday, Ohio State got beat (I still really question Penn State's ranking, I mean LOOK at their schedule!), and Alabama is still rolling, Tide, rolling. The genius and I anxiously await the rankings each week.

But then there's Vanderbilt. ONCE AGAIN, we got our hopes up for them. For the last three years they have won five games and have had a chance to make it six and go to a bowl. They haven't been in years and usually don't even come close. Then they lose that game they SHOULD win and stay home at bowl time --- again. This year they started out at 5 and 0 and we were sure it was the year. They were ranked 13th in the nation!! They had Mississippi State and Duke coming up, so surely they would win one of those. But no, it's just another year so far. I think they decided this year they would see how many hopes they could raise by winning the first five and then stop. And now if they do win I won't even be here to celebrate; the season will be about over when I get back from Florida.

And speaking of football and the vacation, there's a little oyster bar near where we will be staying this year that is Gatorland all the way. The floor is a checkerboard of orange and blue squares and there are Gator signs everywhere. When we were there this summer the proprietor told us that they have big turnouts to watch the Gators play. So maybe I can talk some of the relatives staying with us to go there and watch on Saturdays at least for a while.

It won't be long now and we will be starting down I-65. I will be away from the computer for almost the whole month of November, so don't look for any Pegtales during that time. I may get online at the Realtors just to catch up on my email, but I probably won't start up again on the Tales until I get back.

But this week I'm still here!

RAINY DAY

Such a dreary day today, and I have learned something: The genius is a fair weather friend. This morning I awoke at 6:30 and realized he had gone for the day; the place was dark. I knew when he had gotten up because I had stirred enough to look at the clock. But he was gone now.

So I dozed about twenty more minutes until I knew I had to take care of Rufus. I dragged myself out of the sack (I always have to drag in the mornings) and then I saw why he had left without taking Rufus outside. It was raining!! What a beginning to a gray day.

Now, unless you think I am a spoiled brat, I must hasten to say that I am exaggerating. I really do appreciate the genius and his willingness to take the dog out first thing each day. I know there are not many husbands who would do that, especially when he goes to work each day and I don’t. So I don’t really begrudge his not doing it today. I just wish it weren’t raining!!

In an effort to cheer myself up I looked at the weather forecast for Port Saint Joe where I will be soon and guess what? It’s raining there, too. But the day we arrive it is supposed to be nice.

So today I’ll do what I’ve wanted to do all morning: go back to bed and sleep!!

TRIP TO FAIRFIELD GLADE

Well, I’m back from my delightful trip to Fairfield Glade. I had a great time with my sister, MA and her husband, Chun. And I enjoyed meeting and playing bridge with her friends. I finished third, but of course, I can blame it on the cards since this was party bridge, not duplicate.

When I first walked into the house where they were playing, I noticed that all the ladies had little coin purses in their hands. I soon found out why.

They had some unique rules to keep the game interesting. First, they all put fifty cents in the pot for the first and second place finishers. Then on each table was a little dish in which people put a nickel every time they didn’t make what they bid. Lastly, if anyone had a hand without a face card, she went around and collected a dime from everyone as compensation for such a bad hand. After the scores were tallied, the person to finish last won all the nickels. MA won last AND had a faceless hand once, so she really racked up.

I enjoyed all the playing and talking and the good snack food to boot.

Now I’m starting to get ready for my next trip which will be a week from Saturday. BJ, her husband, Jerry, and I plus dog(s) (I haven’t decided whether I’m taking Jesse or not) will leave on November 1 for Cape San Blas, FL. They will stay two weeks, then Jim IV will arrive for a few days to coincide with a tennis tournament he will be playing in and to be followed by Brenda and her clan that last week. And while I was visiting in Fairfield I talked MA and Chun into coming down the second week. So it will be a full house but not all at the same time.

I really look forward to basking in the sun, walking the beaches and watching the sunsets each night. And best of all, sharing it with various members of my family!!

BRIDGE EXPERT (?)

My eldest grandson made fun of me the other day, calling me “old” because I have excelled at that great card game of bridge. I’m used to his insults so let me just say right now that I challenge him to learn the game before I get out there (Phoenix) in February. Or maybe he is correct because it is such a complicated game that maybe it does take a life time of learning to be come an expert.

Whatever, my prowess at the game has spread far and wide and I have been invited to substitute in a game in Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. So on Sunday afternoon I will drive the two hours to that town of mostly Social Security recipients, spend the night with MA, and on Monday will play all day (or a few hours) to broaden my experience.

Actually, all kidding aside, I am visiting MA and her husband and the bridge club just happens to be during that visit and they just happen to need a sub. I’m looking forward to meeting MA’s friends and playing a little bridge with them.

So, T², at least I did turn down a trip on a bridge cruise to Mexico in February. Mainly so I could come out and harass you.

GATOR STORY

Yesterday my cousin Jane asked me to remind her of the Gator connection, so I decided to talk about that today. I was sure I had mentioned it before but I can’t find the original in any of my files. So here goes with the Gator story.

The genius and I married in 1960 and after nine months, we trekked off to Fort Sill, OK, so that he could fulfill his obligation to Uncle Sam and serve his time as a Lieutenant in the U. S. Army. While we were there, he decided he wanted to continue his education after he finished out his two years. So he applied to several universities. The one that came up with the best offer was the University of Florida. So in August of 1963 we took off for that great campus with one child in a car seat and another still in the nest waiting to be born.

At first because we couldn’t get on-campus housing, we lived in a little two bedroom clapboard house right on the main highway. We were soon accepted, however, into the married student housing, an apartment I would put into the category of a government housing project, if that good. For this hovel we paid $25.00/month so we really couldn’t complain. On the $200/month salary the genius received $25.00 looked pretty good.

But let’s face it, the place was wretched. It was a two story building that had been converted from old Army barracks into eight tiny roach-infested apartments. But the good (?) news was that everyone else around us was in the same boat. And we made some good friends while we were there.

We also became interested in Gator sports, particularly football. There was this spectacular quarterback at the time racking up all kinds of points for the team and he was fun to watch. The year after we left he was named the Heisman Trophy winner. I’m talking about everyone’s favorite coach, Steve Spurrier. We became big fans of his both as a player and later as a coach. Whatever you say about him, he put the Gators on the map of college football.

So that is a part of the story of our U of F history. We are still Vanderbilt fans also, but we’ve been let down so many times rooting for them that we usually just stick with the Gators. And over the years we haven’t often been disappointed.

EXCEPT WHEN THEY LOST TO OLE MISS A FEW WEEKS AGO!!

RANDOM THOUGHTS

I didn’t realize my little blog on “hair” yesterday would illicit so many comments. I should have known, however, since an entire musical was written in the sixties on the subject and even entitled “Hair.” It’s always been a great topic of conversation from Bible times until now. So I was amused to read them all, and I hope you get a chance to have a chuckle about them too.

At first I did a double take at the alwaysaRebel person but soon figured out that it was my cousin Jane whom I haven’t talked to for a while. I must say that although I haven’t mentioned it on the blog, I’m still smarting from the whuppin’ we Gators took from the Rebels a few weeks ago. There’s no doubt we would be #1 in the football rankings at this point if it weren’t for “them Rebels.” Ah well, the LSU game almost made up for the loss.

Yesterday I went to bridge club and I’m almost embarrassed to say that I won again. This time I played with a woman who is very unsure of herself about her playing ability but is always eager to learn from her mistakes. Yesterday she told me after we found out we were the winners, “Peggy, you don’t understand; I always finish at the bottom. We really communicated well today and fit together.” She was really happy about the win and was high-fiving me all over the place.

Well, I can’t take credit and that’s not false modesty. I really believe it must be a God thing because there’s still an element of luck even in duplicate bridge.

And speaking of God, I have received a new Bible I ordered from Amazon and it is amazing. I highly recommend it to everyone, believers or not. It is most unusual in that it is entirely chronological. I have started with the New Testament and all the gospels are mixed together in the order of how the story of Christ unfolds. That may mean a repetition of the same story three or even four times, but it’s not boring at all. In fact, it’s interesting to compare the various viewpoints to each other. There is an historical timeline plus background information on each page, so the reading is slow. The Book of Acts is interspersed with Paul’s letters throughout. I look forward to reading that as well.

Hopefully, all of the Bible study will play out spiritually in my own life, but the Spirit has a very stubborn subject to work with and on!!

A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE HAIR SALON

About fifteen or twenty years ago I noticed that I was beginning to get some gray hair at my temples. So I quickly made the decision to get a head start on “beating the age thing” by having my hair highlighted with blonde streaks. The only problem was that it was really mainly blonde instead of highlighted, but no stylist could ever seem to get it right.

What I disliked most about the business was that I had to keep doing it because it always showed dark at the roots and had to be continued. That was both expensive and time consuming.

Recently, I was finally able to convince my hair stylist that I wanted darker hair with blonde highlights. So she put a light brown at the roots and highlighted it just like I wanted. It took a little getting used to because it was a little darker than I had been wearing it, but it grew on me (no pun intended).

As my hair grew out and the color along with it, I began to look more closely at the roots. I discovered that I really have very little gray except for the tiny bit at the temples that I have had all along. My first thought was, “All this time I’ve been spending all that money and time covering up gray that wasn’t even there?!!”

Well, better to find out now and at least I will have a choice. So I’ve made the big decision to let all the highlights grow out and see what’s really there. Then if I want, I can still go back and get it done all over again.

Time is not so much of a factor now, but think of the money I’ll save!! I’ll keep you readers posted as to the final outcome.

ONE MORE COMMUNICATION STORY

I have one more story about Rufus and communicating. Then I’ll move on to other more interesting topics. Unless he really surprises me again.

I never knew a dog could pitch a tantrum, but I definitely witnessed one the other day.

The morning routine goes like this: the genius

1) gets Rufus out of bed before setting off for work,
2) takes him out for one or both “jobs,”
3) gives him a Greenie (a green toothbrush-shaped treat that he loves almost as much as he does his IAM bone), which he always eats on the bed with me
4) feeds him dog food and a tiny bit of chicken,
5) gives him an IAM bone which he also eats on the bed and then goes back to sleep until I arise.

The other morning when Rufus threw up during the night, (he has a delicate stomach and does that about once a month) I told the genius to withhold the bone and just give him the Greenie. So that’s what he did. He left his chicken and dog food downstairs and left him eating his Greenie on the bed with me. He then turned off the lights and left (it was still dark).

Well!! …. When Rufus heard him leave, he leapt off the bed and raced downstairs, howling his rage at the top of his lungs. He then proceeded to run around downstairs for 20-30 minutes, barking constantly. Thank goodness for the noise maker – I could doze through it all until he finally quieted down and came back to bed.

This is so reminiscent of the times when our own toddlers would pitch a fit. I laughed at them then (Jim IV still remembers my laughing at him once when he was having a fit of temper) and I still laugh at them.

Some things just don’t change!

THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION

We’ve all heard about how much communication can help relationships. Every good marriage therapist learns that fact in Counseling 101. I agree with its importance, and that’s why after 2½ years of trying to understand Rufus and vice versa, I’m pleased to announce that we have finally learned what each one wants. Well, almost.

Here’s a typical scenario: I’m sitting in my favorite red chair in the living room either reading or working (or playing) on the laptop and he approaches and puts his paws on the seat cushion. It can be one of several things he wants, and a lot depends on the circumstances. Is it time for him to eat? Has he been outside in the last 2-3 hours? If so, was the “big job” accomplished for the day? Does he want to come up in the chair with me? Or does he just want me to play with him? You can see how complex life can be when one of the communicants can’t talk.

So it’s up to me to figure it out. I know better than to try to pick him up. That’s a definite no, no in his book. If it’s been a while since he’s been out I ask if he wants to “go outside.” He knows what that means. So I go to the door with his leash and stand there looking out. If he decides that’s what he wants to do, he will saunter up to the door and get in front of me. Then and only then can I put the leash on. If I try to do it before he gets to the door he runs away.

If he wants to play, he runs and gets a toy and wags his tail to let me know that that’s what he wants. If he wants to get in the chair, he just jumps up with me. And the eating is easy; if it’s late afternoon, I feed him. So the one that’s very important to understand is that he needs to go out. Otherwise, there are dire consequences.

The very last resort he uses to communicate is that he runs up on the fifth step of the stairs and gives me “THE LOOK.” That’s when I know he’s desperate, and I will respond to that. If I don’t, he goes upstairs in the hall to do his “business.”

So you can see that this is a complicated affair, this learning to communicate when one of us can’t speak the language. It’s almost as difficult as learning to read what your spouse really wants.

COMMUNICATION (OR LACK OF)

OK, I’m ready to write again. When I have readers calling me to find out what’s wrong, it’s time to get back into it. Actually, I had a good reason for taking some time off: I’ve been “down in the back” as they say in the South.

It started last week when I thought I would be clever (and green) and I chose paper over plastic sacks at the grocery store. I am already beginning to think about my month in Florida in November, and I thought I could use a few more paper sacks to pack items in for the trip. What I didn’t notice was how much the sacker was putting into each bag.

So off I go to the car, refusing any help, of course, like the stubborn old woman that I am. When I began to load the groceries into the trunk, I realized that they were much heavier than usual. To make a long story short, I pulled a muscle loading the food into the car. And I’ve been paying for it ever since.

I have a history of back problems, so I know what to do: take muscle relaxants and go to bed. Usually, I’m up and about in a couple of days. Not this time!! It’s been a week since I went to the store and I’m just now feeling a little better. Ah, well, what else do I have to do except lie around all day?

Anyway, I’m glad to be back on the mend and medication free. When I take those pills, I can’t think straight and I also feel depressed.

So now you know why I was so lax. I hope to do better from now on.

A TEACHER REVISITED

The other day the genius came home with a story about one of his students who wanted to take an important test early. When asked why he was going to miss class, the young man said he was going to get his driver’s license! Of course, the genius said No and the boy would have to take a make up test instead which would be harder than the original. The rules had been set at the beginning of the year so there was no argument. Needless to say, the genius was appalled that a member of an AP class would even consider such a thing.

This incident made me remember a teacher I had in high school whom I was terrified of and whose class I wouldn’t have dreamed of missing unless I was deathly ill. I have described her before, but she is worth describing again.

Her name was Jim Lee Allen and she taught upper level math courses like the genius does now. The first day of class she told us all that her name was Missss Allen with the accent on the s. “Not Mrs. nor Mizz, but Misssss Allen,” she declared. Actually that little lesson has stayed with me for a lifetime or at least until “Ms” came into being.

Miss Allen didn’t walk, she marched into the classroom each day with a steely smile on her face. (Everything about her was steely, even her hair was “iron” gray.) When she would call on me to recite and prove a theorem, I would stumble over something I had had down cold the night before. Occasionally, she would help me out by saying the next word, a fact that used to infuriate Nancy, a friend of mine. (“She never helps me out when I hesitate!”) Afterwards, I would almost cry with relief that it was over.

For years I wouldn’t have thought that she could do any wrong whatsoever, but after I became a teacher myself, I did begin to question why my grade was always lower than the average I thought I deserved. When I was a senior and a new letter grading system had come into being, I kept up with all my grades in Trigonometry. I had a 99+ average one six weeks and thought I deserved an A+ (97-100). Instead, I had to be satisfied with an A (90-96). Nowadays the students and parents would put up a fuss and demand to see the grades. But neither my parents nor I would have dared to do such a thing. That was back in the days when the teacher was always right and especially Jim Lee Allen!

I won’t say that she was my favorite teacher of grades 1-12; that honor is reserved for Miss Knight, my seventh grade teacher. But I will have to say that she was the best teacher I had because she “inspired” me to work so hard in her classes.

SLEEPING

I don’t think there’s anyone alive who enjoys sleeping as much as I do. At least, I never hear anybody else say so. All I know is that I love it and take pleasure in all the different phases of it, night or day.

I walk by an unmade bed and look longingly at it, just counting the hours I can get back into it and rest. The answer to that, of course, is to make it up, and I do most of the time, but that doesn’t keep me from lying back down either on it or in it later on during the day.

I love the time where I am drifting off thinking pleasant thoughts and then have them turn into dreaming about them. I love waking in the night and mulling over the good dream I just had and slowly go back into that la-la land. Then in the morning the twilight sleep that I have an hour or two before I get up is great! When I do finally rouse myself to face the day, I think about the interesting dreams I have and wonder why I would dream about the subjects I do.

Then in spite of all the interesting things I do during the day, after I eat lunch, I like to crawl back into the bed and start the process all over again. It doesn’t matter what time I eat, and often it can be as early as 10:30 or as late as 1:30, I usually creep back into the sack for a nap.

The genius says I will make a wonderful nursing home patient. Just give me a laptop, an endless supply of books, and a cell phone, all for use between times of sleep, he maintains, and I would be perfectly happy!!

HOTEL CALIFORNIA

I mentioned on my last blog how much I like the Eagles’ song “Hotel California.” Both the genius and I have liked the song for years, but he has put a twist on it and incorporated it into his classroom at school.

If you’re familiar with the lyrics of the song, you know that the singer wanders into a hotel and discovers it to be a strange place with all kinds of weird goings on going on there. When he tries to leave, he hears

“Relax!” said the night man, “We are programmed to receive.
You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave!”

It truly sounds like a picture of Hell.

So here’s what the genius did with it. He gives homework everyday and many days takes it up and grades it. He tells the students that they can get help from each other or come to see him early in the morning before school if they feel the need. He almost always has several boys come to him for help on their homework because they know that there is a possibility it will be graded.

He gives each student one chance to miss his homework and take a 0, but if he does it the second time, he automatically goes into Hotel California for the rest of the semester. What this means is that from that point on, his homework will be taken up and graded everyday.

When a student gains this “honor” a big deal is made of it. The video of the Eagles’ singing the song flashes up on the wall and the guy is “inducted” into the hotel. As you can imagine, not very many boys make it into the “club”; the ones who do must be on their toes every day to keep from getting more 0’s.

Now that’s an ingenious (or genius) idea!!

ROCKING OUT WITH THE EAGLES

What can I say?!! It was great; it was a blast; it was FANTASTIC!! We couldn’t have asked for anything more. Seeing and hearing the Eagles in person was an experience of a lifetime ranking up there (almost) with seeing Florida win the national championship in football.

First, however, there was the preparation. I had to get plenty of sleep to prepare for my late night. Then I had to buy ear plugs because I forgot to get some from Jim IV. Then came the awesome task of deciding what to wear (as if it mattered). Many outfits were chosen and discarded before I came up with just the right one. The genius, of course, wore khakis and a B² shirt, his usual uniform.

We headed downtown to the Sommet Center and began the search for a parking space. We found one two blocks away that we thought we were going to have to pay $20.00 for (apparently, the going rate), and the machine wouldn’t take our card or money. Oh, darn!!! So we headed on to the glorious night with our favorite group.

After waiting in line for about 30 minutes to get in, we found our seats and they were great!! Third row, slightly off center in the first balcony. We had a perfect view of the stage and the big screens. To top it all off, the two seats next to us remained empty, so after five minutes into the show, we scooted over and didn’t have to squash up to people we didn’t know.

Then the concert, itself -- what a time that was. They started off with four songs from their new CD and they were good, but then the man with the trumpet began to play and we all knew what was coming. It was my all time favorite --- Hotel California!!! The audience went wild, and I was right there with them. The genius, of course, just sat there and enjoyed the song, but he did clap when it was over.

The rest of the night was truly fabulous, all the old songs were sung and some new ones, too. They finished out with Take It Easy and Desperado. We scooted on out and were able to beat the crowd and be home in 15 minutes. It was 11:55, not as late as I thought it would be.

The night was truly one for us to remember and talk about for a long time.

JESSE AND RUFUS (AGAIN!)

In an effort to get ready for the Eagles tonight and what will surely be a late night for me, I decided to sleep late this morning. The genius had taken the dogs (we are keeping Jesse this week) out for their early morning constitution and had fed them (isn’t he the dream husband?). Then he left for work about 5:30 and that’s when the two angels decided to have a major squabble.

I was still in bed trying to sleep when I heard Jesse beside my bed rooting around in a stack of books under my bedside table. I turned on the light and put her on the bed with me. Meanwhile, Rufus was on the foot of the bed finishing up his Iams bone. I assumed that Jesse had already eaten hers because she had nothing in her mouth when I put her on the bed.

When Rufus finished, he sauntered up to Jesse probably bent on a playful romp, in which case I have to kick them out of bed. But instead, Jesse snapped and growled at him in a rage. Rufus disappeared and Jesse jumped from the bed and went back to the books.

I gave up any hopes of sleeping and turned on the light again and looked under the books myself. Sure enough, there was Jesse’s bone. How in the world it got there I don’t know. I tried one more time – turned off the light went back to bed and I did doze off.

Then I awoke a little while later and realized that Rufus was nowhere around which is extremely unusual. He sticks to me like glue, day or night.

So I found him on the stairs just sitting there, obviously with his nose completely out of joint. I went down and got him and brought him back to bed with Jesse already there. He almost went berserk so I had to cuddle him up next to my face before he would calm down. Finally, we all slept again and it was 9:00 before we got up for good. They are now fine with each other and back to normal. Both of them are snoozing side by side in the living room as I write this.

I think I got a good night’s sleep, but just to make sure I’m ready, I’ll take an afternoon nap, as well.

BUSY DAY

Yesterday really was a time of running around all day in between trying to keep the dogs watered and fed and exercised. Today I finally have time to sit down and reflect on the events.

I can’t remember if I mentioned that there is a woman in my Bible study who graduated with me from high school. I tried to talk her into going to our class luncheon with me but she declined. It is interesting getting to know her after all these years (51).

The luncheon was a hoot, as usual. Besides hearing all about our various physical ailments, we talked about face lifts and plastic surgeons. I found out who had and who hadn’t, and Linda and I were astonished to learn about how many had “partaken”. I can truthfully say that although I have thought about having a tuck done here and there, I have never actually done it. I did use a plastic surgeon once to repair a scar that had gotten infected, but alas, that’s all I can boast about.

Betty, who hosted the event, showed us all over her redone house. We all enjoyed looking at it, but we refrained from going swimming in her new pool because amazingly enough, it was too cool. We are having great fall weather here now.

And speaking of weather, I received a call from the realtors at the Cape in Florida and it seems that Ike damaged beyond repair our condos that we love so much. I had rented one for November, but the ocean swell from the hurricane was too much for the sea wall and foundation of the structure, so we either have to cancel or find something else. I’m disappointed, of course, but I am reconciled to whatever we decide.

So after my busy day yesterday, I am now resting up for a big night tomorrow night. Believe it or not, the genius got tickets for an Eagles concert, one of our favorite groups, so we are getting ready to kick up our heels! (Jim IV almost choked on his food last night when he heard we were going; he said, “How did you get tickets? They’re going for a 1000 bucks each!!”) Well, we didn’t pay anywhere near that much and the genius wouldn’t sell ours for twice that amount.

So, I guess we haven’t kicked the bucket yet, although after tomorrow night we might!!

THE GRAND STATE OF RETIREMENT

The first year of retirement I tutored all year, actually much more than I had planned. So the second year I did nothing except occasionally substitute in two bridge clubs. Starting last March I began traveling and that continued through the summer. I enjoyed the travels, but I am very happy to stay at home for a while. But here’s the problem: I may have begun to do more than I intended this year.

I joined one of the bridge clubs that meets once a month. Then I signed up for a Bible study that meets once a week at church. (Last week I went for the first time and forgot to bring my Bible!!) We have resumed Wednesday night dinners at church and of course, our favorite team, the Florida Gators, is back in the swing of things. I feel like my tongue is hanging out.

Today I am first going to the study (think I’ll take my Bible this time), then going to a high school class luncheon, then picking up grandson Jay from school and keeping him for the afternoon. Jim IV will pick up Annie and join us for dinner, after which the genius has parents’ night at school.

I might as well go back to work. Well, I’m not really complaining; I do enjoy it all. It’s just that I’ve had so many people tell me that it would be like this and I really didn’t want to rush around everywhere.

But if you think my schedule sounds a little harried, you should hear my sister MA’s. She wrote me what she and her husband (who is also retired) are doing and I wanted to take a nap just thinking about it.

The word retired itself is interesting. It could mean we need a makeover like getting new treads. Or it could mean we have been exhausted and are in that state again. I suppose it really means that we are supposed to stop working and take life easy, but actually all three definitions apply.

I need a makeover, I’m tired again, and I have definitely stopped working for pay as my bank account shows.

THE PRAYER OF JABEZ

I related yesterday how I had read the book about Jabez and his prayer and had begun praying it on a daily basis. The verse of Scripture is found in I Chronicles buried among a list of the Israelite people of that time. It reads as follows:

And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, "Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain." So God granted him what he requested.

And the result, as I said, was that I had an increase in classes, i. e. students for the year.

I will have to say that in looking back, that year of teaching was one of my best ever. We read a few verses from the Bible everyday and discussed them. The students for the most part really were interested in what we were studying and the discussions were involved and enlightening. One would think after talking about the same subject for six classes, that I would be more than ready to move on to the other lessons for the day. But it didn’t work that way. Every class had something unique to add to the few verses that no other class had thought of. I would be absolutely amazed at the insight they would have about something I hadn’t seen or had never thought of.

And then I had a very special young lady in the sixth and final class of the day. She was one of the most remarkable students I have ever taught. When we would get to the end of the day and once again someone would read the verses for the day, she could come up with an idea that no one else had thought of all day. But she was not intrusive about it; she always waited to hear what others had to say first and then add to it. She was very popular with all the students, so when she spoke, they listened. I will always consider myself blessed to have had her in my class for that year, which wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t added the two classes to my schedule. Her name? Mattie Jackson, daughter of Denise and Alan Jackson.

That year certainly was’t easy for me. I had a total of 109 students and essentially no free periods. But as I said, it was one of if not the most rewarding years I ever had.

But be careful about praying that prayer – God may answer in a way you didn’t expect!

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU PRAY FOR

Yesterday someone mentioned to me that little book that was out a few years ago entitled The Prayer of Jabez, and I was reminded of what happened to me after I had read that little gem of a book.

The title is taken from an obscure verse hidden in one of those lists of names of begats found throughout the Old Testament. If I remember correctly it referred to a man named Jabez, which in Hebrew means “pain”. His mother had named him that because of the pain she had suffered in labor. The writer points out that Jabez prayed for God to “increase his territory” and not be “pain” to anyone anymore. And the Lord answered his prayer.

The author expanded the ideas behind this one verse into a book in which he came up with the “prayer of Jabez” and related all kinds of interesting experiences about people who prayed this prayer. So I decided to try it. I dutifully typed up the prayer in large print and taped it to my bathroom mirror and prayed it everyday for a while.

Meanwhile, I had also decided that because most of my eighth grade students had no clue what the Bible was all about, I decided to spend a few minutes sharing some verses daily with them at the beginning of each of my classes; after all, I did teach literature and this was a book about which they seemed to know little. We gradually worked through the lives of some of the OT heroes; or another time we studied a theme, such as looking at the full armor of God piece by piece as mentioned in Ephesians. All four of my classes had a part in this and many times we had lively discussions concerning the reading for that day.

At this time, I was department head of English and literature for 5-8 grades and cheerleading sponsor, so I had my hands very full. A couple of weeks into the year we had some sort of a crisis in scheduling (I forget now what the problem was) but the administration called me in and asked me if I would be willing to add two more classes to my already very full day. Of course, they offered me more money. Immediately, I was reminded by that little voice inside me that the chance to “increase my territory” had arrived and I would be remiss to turn down this opportunity to have additional students listening to and discussing the Bible everyday. So I agreed.

Tomorrow I will continue this little tale.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE 69?

This birthday has definitely been messing with my mind. When I think about being 69, my main emotion is surprise: surprised that I lived this long, surprised that it went so fast, but most of all surprised that I’m this old. The reality of that just can’t seem to sink in.

Last week I was in the doctor’s office and I noticed an older couple. I didn’t pay much attention to them until the attendant called his name and then asked him his birth date. He was two years younger than I am!! And this happens to me all the time --- all the time!! I will see pictures of people in the obituaries (or somewhere else) and I will automatically think they look ancient and they are either my age or younger.

And how about this one? I’ll read the headline, “Elderly Couple Robbed on Church Street” or “Elderly Woman Scares off Intruder” and right away I’m thinking the couple or woman is in their eighties or nineties. And instead they might be as young as their fifties!! I may as well face it, to the rest of the world I am tagged by that hateful word, “elderly”.

It mollifies me somewhat when people are surprised to learn my age. And it happens so much that I guess I really must not look this old. One person told me last week after hearing about my birthday that I could pass for fifty. Well, that’s stretching it, but I think I will quit telling because inevitably here’s what happens: People (especially women) began to look surreptitiously at me to see if perhaps they missed something on first glance, a hidden wrinkle, or a saggy place they didn’t catch the first time.

So what I need now is to come up with some catchy phrase to answer people who ask me my age. I’m sure my faithful readers will come up with some good suggestions!

MUSING ON A SPECIAL DAY

Today is my birthday --- how and where did all the years go? (And if I feel like this, how does my 107 year old aunt feel?) Sixty-nine years ago today my mother gave birth to me at Vanderbilt Hospital here in Nashville at approximately 5:00 in the afternoon. Looking back over the years I realize how much has happened in our country and world.

There are some things I wish that were still here. I really would like to board a passenger train and go almost anywhere in the country instead of fighting the traffic on the interstates or putting up with all the confusion in airports. One could just sit there and read or watch the scenery without having to worry about the driving. And you could go to the dining car when you got hungry or, if you were resourceful enough, you could bring your own food along. I never had the experience of sleeping in a berth, but I’ll bet that was exciting. I did a few years ago get a roomette on a train from Phoenix to New Orleans and that would have been really great if I hadn’t been sick from some disease I caught in Mexico. All this to say that I really miss that mode of transportation.

I also wish that relative feeling of safety I felt whenever I went anywhere was still with me. Nowadays, when I go out in the car, the first thing I do is to lock my doors. I’m always on the lookout for suspicious characters who are close to my car when I’m stopped at a light; I’m ready to take off if I feel threatened. And I don’t like that feeling; I can’t help but compare it to the forties and fifties when we never thought about things like that. The crime rate was nothing compared to what it is now.

But then I think about all the conveniences we have that have changed our lives. Of course, the computer immediately comes to mind and the cell phone, also. TV and Ipods, and on the home front, dishwashers, ice makers, filtered water on the fridge door, microwaves, remote vacuum cleaners, alarm systems, and on and on. So many medical miracles have occurred in my lifetime, too.

I guess I could look at the dark side and moan and groan about all the evils in the world, but I choose, especially on this day, to think about and appreciate all the good instead

HURRICANES

I have been watching with interest the storms that have been brewing and/or hitting the U. S. this season. One reason is that we visited New Orleans in June and witnessed firsthand the destruction of Katrina and the reconstruction that is taking place there. We saw the canals, levees, and pumping houses that were so much in the news a few years ago. We, like everyone else in the country were very relieved that they were spared the worst scenario this year.

Another reason I have been so interested is because I have again booked a condo for November at our favorite beach, Cape San Blas, Florida, where they are rebuilding the beaches that were so devastated by the Hurricane Opal a few years ago. According to the blog about the progress of the reconstruction, so far the new beaches have held up well and work is continuing.

On a lighter note, in thinking about these storms, I have wondered about the names given to them. Who in the world comes up with them? Gustav? What kind of name is that? So I did a little research. (Don’t you just love the internet?)

In the first place, they used to always have a woman’s name. I guess the people (surely all of them men) who did the naming finally got wind of the fact that women resented it that there were no male monikers, so in 1979 they began to include men’s names. David and Frederic occurred that year and were placed on the “retired” list because they were destructive. (Hurricane names are retired when they are “deadly or costly”.)

But back to the selection of names. Some of them seem so bizarre. I mean Beulah, Agnes, Cesar, Flora, Hortense, Ione, and Roxanne are not your basic American names. Nor is Opal, Klaus, Lenny, Ivan, or even Katrina, probably the most famous of all, in recent years anyway. I would be willing to bet that that name quickly became unpopular for girls born in the U.S.

But finally I read in my research that because there are other countries besides the U. S. that are affected by these storms, there are three languages that the names are selected from, English, Spanish, and French. So if some of these names sound foreign to us, they are!

So there’s your little mini history lesson on hurricane naming; some old, retired teachers just don’t know when to quit!!

“TICKED OFF”

For years I have enjoyed receiving and reading a weekly newspaper entitled Green Hills News. I believe there is a similar one named West Meade News that circulates in the West Meade area and there may be others I’m not aware of. But the one I get is the Green Hills one, which carries political and society items of interest to people living in this part of Nashville.

A few months ago they began carrying a column entitled “Ticked Off,” which is nothing more than a forum for people to send in their complaints about any subject they desire. The kicker is that it is anonymous, so a person can say almost anything they want.

When I first heard about it, my reaction was, “Oh, my gosh! People will use this as a platform to say outrageous comments.” I was right, and some of them are hilarious to read. Others, of course, can at times be hateful and racist to an extreme. In fact, I sometimes suspect that the authors are just writing to goad others into reacting.

It’s amazing what can upset people. Of course, abortion, homosexuality, politics, and religion are regularly discussed, but some people get huffy over street signs, neighborhood cats, and a sparrow drowning in the downtown fountain.

Many of the complaints are legitimate: bumpy streets, speed bumps in unnecessary places, stop lights instead of four way stops, etc. After many people protested the condition of the street that runs in front of the Post Office and the Library, it was repaved. And speed bumps were removed in at least one instance that I know of.

One woman became so incensed at reading the column that she wrote a scathing letter, strongly suggesting that “Ticked Off” be removed from the paper. Subsequently, there was such an outcry that the editor had to write a note assuring the readers that the column was here to stay.

I’m very glad because the entertainment value of this weekly forum is second only to the obituaries!

NOISE INDUCED SLEEP

I’ve been trying to remember when I first started sleeping with the aid of some sort of constant humming sound; I believe it started when we lived in our first little house after we moved back to Nashville in the mid-sixties. We had purchased a humidifier and set it in the hall just outside our bedroom and since that time I have been dependent on some sort of a noise machine to get a good night’s sleep.

When we moved to the “big house” where we lived for 23 years we took the humidifier with us, but somewhere along the way I acquired what was billed as a “clean air machine” to help me sleep. That trusty little number lasted until we moved into this house but broke one day when I fell on it in an effort to answer a phone call (a salesperson, wouldn’t you know it!). Not only did it stop working, I also had a huge bruise on my leg.

But by then, I had a back up – a bonafide sleep machine that I bought at Brookstone. This little device even runs on batteries, a ploy I have used several times when the electricity has gone off, or when the plugs didn’t match (in Europe, for instance). Since 9/11 I have been asked about it several times going through security at airports.

This little "addiction" of mine has been passed on down to the next two generations. All of my children as well as several of the grandchildren use the same type of machines or fans to sleep by.

I brought all this up because I left mine in Brenda’s car yesterday after a weekend at a lake with the family. I nearly panicked last night when I realized it, but then I remembered the two little fans that I keep on hand especially for Ashley and her family when they visit.

The day (or night) was saved!!