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.