Sometimes as we grow older, we are content to stay home and miss out on some of all the opportunities life affords us. The effort to get up and dress is too much. However, I have come to realize that if we don’t avail ourselves of the chance to enjoy life, then we miss out on what could have been our best times.
Last week was just such a week. By the end of the week, my batteries had completely run down. To be more specific, I was on the run most of the week, well not exactly a run, but a brisk walk. It takes a few days for me to rev myself up again, but gradually I find I’m ready to go again.
At Christmas I received gift certificates for lunch for six persons at the tearoom just out of Terral, Oklahoma, a small town on Red River. Did you know there is a tearoom there? I certainly did not. This must be one of the best kept secrets of Jefferson County, or perhaps I’m not in the “with it” crowd.
Trying to line up five other women to commit to taking a day to go out of town was no easy task. Because one of my daughters-in-law is a schoolteacher and I wanted her to be able to go with us, we selected a day during spring break.
I found much pleasure in having my two daughters, Starr and Gayle, plus my two daughters-in-law, Terrye and Gisele, and my good neighbor Hellen to all be available to go on Wednesday. I had called the tearoom hostess earlier and made reservations for our lunch.
The location in the country is so quiet and peaceful. The home where we went was unique and beautiful. Of course, the food was delicious. This is truly a neat place to go and so unusual.
We stayed and visited after our dessert and coffee and I think every one of us was reluctant to leave.
Then on Saturday we had relatives come to visit us. Ray’s brother and a daughter, both of Hugo, another daughter from Florida, and my sister-in-law from Durant all came. David and my favorite son-in-law Don stopped by and had lunch with us and stayed to visit a while.
One of the nieces had brought a photo album and we took turns passing it around so all could see. We talked about old times, back when these cousins were children growing up and some of the antics they pulled.
While everyone was visiting, I thought how sad that they see each other so seldom. When I was a child, I saw most of my cousins at least once a month, sometimes much more often. A person would think with all the modern modes of transportation now, that relatives could find a way to get together more often. Why don’t we manage to visit each other on a regular basis? I guess we could chalk that up to being too busy.
Life is much too short to miss the chance to enjoy the company of others, especially family and friends. I vowed that from now on, I’m game for most anything as long as it is not illegal, immoral, or fattening.
3-25-2009
#427
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Strange Lingo in Sports World
According to my calendar Friday this week is the first day of spring. With the days of colder temperatures, it seems that flowers and fruit trees are not blooming as early as usual. I am beginning to see some blooms on a few trees, but not a lot.
Along with this season transition, we find many activities that are prevalent now. Many churches have pre-Easter observances, schools in this area are in spring break, and of course, there is “March Madness,” with all the excitement of basketball playoffs.
Starr and I have watched the Big 12 boys and girls’ games, at least those that were televised in our area. So many of the games have been nip and tuck, right down to the last buzzer.
When I was in school, my family never attended any sort of athletic games. The high school football games were played clear across town from where I lived. Since we only had one automobile, and Daddy used that for work, we had no way of going unless we rode a bus and that involved transferring to a second bus. Consequently, I knew very little about football or basketball either.
Both our boys, David and Harold, participated in the athletic programs here in Waurika. So, our family attended all of their games; at least we tried to be there.
One year when David was playing football in high school, my parents were visiting us and we took them to the game being played here. At one point, Mother turned to me and asked, “Which inning is this?”
The girls played basketball some, but for them it was not as serious as it was for the boys.
Back then and even now, there are so many things regarding these two forms of athletics that I do not understand. For instance, the word “bye.” I hear sports announcers saying a certain team has a bye for that day. According to an online dictionary, this means that this team will not play on a certain day. In other words, they are idle.
Another expression that has given me pause during my latter years, is the mention that some team is third seeded. Or they are in the top seeds.
I do not watch football nearly as much as I once did, and when I do, it is mostly college football. After all these years, I am still not certain what a “play action pass” is. Or in basketball what an illegal screen means. I wonder who comes up with all these words.
As a high school student, I had never heard the expressions of March Madness, the Sweet Sixteen, or the Final Four.
These final games of the season this year have been really exciting because so many wins or losses, have come down to who possesses the ball in the final seconds. A number of teams that were supposed to be in the winners’ bracket, ended the season with some heartbreaking losses. These teams will not make it to the playoffs.
I’ve often wondered how coaches withstand so much pressure during these times. They have to be so stressed out because most coaches and fans take the games very seriously.
I sincerely hope that your team had a successful season and that you were able to enjoy the games with them. After all, this is supposed to be a game!
3-18-2009
#426
Along with this season transition, we find many activities that are prevalent now. Many churches have pre-Easter observances, schools in this area are in spring break, and of course, there is “March Madness,” with all the excitement of basketball playoffs.
Starr and I have watched the Big 12 boys and girls’ games, at least those that were televised in our area. So many of the games have been nip and tuck, right down to the last buzzer.
When I was in school, my family never attended any sort of athletic games. The high school football games were played clear across town from where I lived. Since we only had one automobile, and Daddy used that for work, we had no way of going unless we rode a bus and that involved transferring to a second bus. Consequently, I knew very little about football or basketball either.
Both our boys, David and Harold, participated in the athletic programs here in Waurika. So, our family attended all of their games; at least we tried to be there.
One year when David was playing football in high school, my parents were visiting us and we took them to the game being played here. At one point, Mother turned to me and asked, “Which inning is this?”
The girls played basketball some, but for them it was not as serious as it was for the boys.
Back then and even now, there are so many things regarding these two forms of athletics that I do not understand. For instance, the word “bye.” I hear sports announcers saying a certain team has a bye for that day. According to an online dictionary, this means that this team will not play on a certain day. In other words, they are idle.
Another expression that has given me pause during my latter years, is the mention that some team is third seeded. Or they are in the top seeds.
I do not watch football nearly as much as I once did, and when I do, it is mostly college football. After all these years, I am still not certain what a “play action pass” is. Or in basketball what an illegal screen means. I wonder who comes up with all these words.
As a high school student, I had never heard the expressions of March Madness, the Sweet Sixteen, or the Final Four.
These final games of the season this year have been really exciting because so many wins or losses, have come down to who possesses the ball in the final seconds. A number of teams that were supposed to be in the winners’ bracket, ended the season with some heartbreaking losses. These teams will not make it to the playoffs.
I’ve often wondered how coaches withstand so much pressure during these times. They have to be so stressed out because most coaches and fans take the games very seriously.
I sincerely hope that your team had a successful season and that you were able to enjoy the games with them. After all, this is supposed to be a game!
3-18-2009
#426
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Weather as Diverse as Robes
The other morning when I awakened, I went to my closet to get my robe to slip on before I went into the kitchen for coffee. Because my closet is always cluttered, big time, I choose a robe that is appropriate for the temperatures and keep it in my bedroom closet. The others I store in another closet.
Well, that morning I had three robes of different weights hanging in my closet. There was my winter velour robe, good and warm for cold mornings. Then I saw the mid-season robe of much lighter fabric and three-quarter length sleeves. The other was a muumuu type, ankle length with very short sleeves.
Why did I have all three of these robes in my closet? For one thing the temperature the week before had been like winter and the heavy, velour robe felt good. In the meantime, we’d had warmer weather and so I had opted for the lighter robe and had worn it for several days.
When I saw the muumuu, I remembered the day when the afternoon temperature got up around 90 degrees and I had turned the air-conditioner on. What a contrast in temperatures over one week.
And now this weekend daylight savings time has returned. How are we supposed to cope with these drastic changes in weather and time?
As I thought of all these variations that were difficult for us mortals to adjust to, I thought about the animals and birds and how they handle all this. I had recently seen an article on television regarding the monarch butterflies. I wonder if they are confused about the time to begin their migration journey. Do they begin their northward trip, only to encounter an unseasonably cold spell and decide they need to return to their winter habitat?
My neighbor assured me last week that the hummingbirds would have scouts here in about two weeks. Are they going to also be confused and decide not to come at their regular time this year? To me, it is a miracle that they have this innate ability to know when and where to go at just the right time.
Another response to weather variations are the trees, especially fruit trees. So many years the fruit trees blossom and then we get a hard freeze and the fruit potential is wiped out for that year. How anyone can deny God’s existence in the face of all these miracles is beyond my comprehension.
For several years now, we’ve had variations in the weather patterns causing us to be uncertain about what to expect.
Weather is one topic of conversation that is often discussed, but little is done about it. I’m sure if we could order the kind of weather we want, some persons would object to our choices because they would have laundry to dry outside when we wanted a nice soaking rain. Just the thought of a good slow rain for several days, followed by some runoff water makes me want to get outside and stand under that God-given moisture.
I’m certain we will get that rain sometime.
3-11-2009
#425
Well, that morning I had three robes of different weights hanging in my closet. There was my winter velour robe, good and warm for cold mornings. Then I saw the mid-season robe of much lighter fabric and three-quarter length sleeves. The other was a muumuu type, ankle length with very short sleeves.
Why did I have all three of these robes in my closet? For one thing the temperature the week before had been like winter and the heavy, velour robe felt good. In the meantime, we’d had warmer weather and so I had opted for the lighter robe and had worn it for several days.
When I saw the muumuu, I remembered the day when the afternoon temperature got up around 90 degrees and I had turned the air-conditioner on. What a contrast in temperatures over one week.
And now this weekend daylight savings time has returned. How are we supposed to cope with these drastic changes in weather and time?
As I thought of all these variations that were difficult for us mortals to adjust to, I thought about the animals and birds and how they handle all this. I had recently seen an article on television regarding the monarch butterflies. I wonder if they are confused about the time to begin their migration journey. Do they begin their northward trip, only to encounter an unseasonably cold spell and decide they need to return to their winter habitat?
My neighbor assured me last week that the hummingbirds would have scouts here in about two weeks. Are they going to also be confused and decide not to come at their regular time this year? To me, it is a miracle that they have this innate ability to know when and where to go at just the right time.
Another response to weather variations are the trees, especially fruit trees. So many years the fruit trees blossom and then we get a hard freeze and the fruit potential is wiped out for that year. How anyone can deny God’s existence in the face of all these miracles is beyond my comprehension.
For several years now, we’ve had variations in the weather patterns causing us to be uncertain about what to expect.
Weather is one topic of conversation that is often discussed, but little is done about it. I’m sure if we could order the kind of weather we want, some persons would object to our choices because they would have laundry to dry outside when we wanted a nice soaking rain. Just the thought of a good slow rain for several days, followed by some runoff water makes me want to get outside and stand under that God-given moisture.
I’m certain we will get that rain sometime.
3-11-2009
#425
Saturday, March 7, 2009
New Words Keep Popping Up
From time to time I think of the way our language and conversations change. Some of the words we use today were unheard of in times past.
As our nation grows, we come up with new words. These new words are meant to fit the present conditions of the world. We often hear the word “recession” while back in the ‘30s, it was known as “depression.”
I remember my teens when “the dance” was the Jitterbug. Then a number of years later came “hip-hop.” These words come and go as our conditions change.
Over the weekend, I learned of the death of Paul Harvey, Hone of the nation’s most popular newscasters. He became famous for the segment of his radio programs known as “The Rest of the Story.” He lived to the age of 90, so he had certainly seen many changes in world conditions during his lifetime.
He received credit for several words he coined. He came up with the word “skyjacker,” which was most appropriate for the actions taking place at that time. He was also credited with the expression “guesstimate.”
One of his most famous words still in use is “Reaganomics.” Most of us still remember these words that seemed so fitting for the conditions at the time.
A number of words gained new usage and popularity during the recent presidential campaign. I had never realized that “green” was such an important color in the rainbow. As years go by we will likely hear more regarding this word.
I had heard the word “Maverick” many times but never attached much importance to the word. However, this word took on a new meaning during the election. For some reason I had associated it with a disreputable character, but it took high priority during the last year.
One word that has assumed a prominent place both during the election and since then is the word “Vet or Vetted.” I do not ever remember hearing that word prior to the past election. I had no clue about its meaning, but since then have learned a lot. I imagine there are politicians and their followers who wish they had never heard this word.
I’ve wondered why the word vetted was used so often when a person could say a person’s history and background had been examined.
Many of the words I read today are often absent from my old dictionary.
The area that gives me the most concern regarding words and their meanings is those used in computer directions or solutions to Internet problems. When I first got my computer, my brother was trying to help me via phone instructions. He asked, “Do you use Netscape or Internet Explorer?”
Needless to say, I hadn’t a clue what he meant. I really get upset when I see the word “Error” on my computer, or the notation that informs me this program is not running. I often wonder how anyone, beginning from scratch, ever devised this advanced means of communication and information.
With all this new electronic equipment that has come about in my generation, wonder what it will be like in the next fifty to one hundred years?
3-4-2009
#424
As our nation grows, we come up with new words. These new words are meant to fit the present conditions of the world. We often hear the word “recession” while back in the ‘30s, it was known as “depression.”
I remember my teens when “the dance” was the Jitterbug. Then a number of years later came “hip-hop.” These words come and go as our conditions change.
Over the weekend, I learned of the death of Paul Harvey, Hone of the nation’s most popular newscasters. He became famous for the segment of his radio programs known as “The Rest of the Story.” He lived to the age of 90, so he had certainly seen many changes in world conditions during his lifetime.
He received credit for several words he coined. He came up with the word “skyjacker,” which was most appropriate for the actions taking place at that time. He was also credited with the expression “guesstimate.”
One of his most famous words still in use is “Reaganomics.” Most of us still remember these words that seemed so fitting for the conditions at the time.
A number of words gained new usage and popularity during the recent presidential campaign. I had never realized that “green” was such an important color in the rainbow. As years go by we will likely hear more regarding this word.
I had heard the word “Maverick” many times but never attached much importance to the word. However, this word took on a new meaning during the election. For some reason I had associated it with a disreputable character, but it took high priority during the last year.
One word that has assumed a prominent place both during the election and since then is the word “Vet or Vetted.” I do not ever remember hearing that word prior to the past election. I had no clue about its meaning, but since then have learned a lot. I imagine there are politicians and their followers who wish they had never heard this word.
I’ve wondered why the word vetted was used so often when a person could say a person’s history and background had been examined.
Many of the words I read today are often absent from my old dictionary.
The area that gives me the most concern regarding words and their meanings is those used in computer directions or solutions to Internet problems. When I first got my computer, my brother was trying to help me via phone instructions. He asked, “Do you use Netscape or Internet Explorer?”
Needless to say, I hadn’t a clue what he meant. I really get upset when I see the word “Error” on my computer, or the notation that informs me this program is not running. I often wonder how anyone, beginning from scratch, ever devised this advanced means of communication and information.
With all this new electronic equipment that has come about in my generation, wonder what it will be like in the next fifty to one hundred years?
3-4-2009
#424
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