Sometimes I wonder if I was born fifty years too soon, or if I’m just not ready for this electronic age. My, there is so much to learn!
When one of your great-grandchildren advises you on how to take a photo on your cell phone, do you feel totally useless? I enjoy using my computer and usually have no serious problems with it, but there are times when I feel like Ned in the first reader.
I guess these thoughts are the result of some happenings at my sister’s home recently. In the first place, she was given a birthday gift of a “roomba.” I had no clue as to what this was, and guess I was too embarrassed to ask.
After several conversations regarding this new product, at least new to me, she finally explained that it was a different kind of vacuum cleaner. This is the small round instrument that travels the carpet without anyone holding onto it to guide it. One of the reasons I was confused when she told me about it, was due to the fact that I thought she was saying she got a rumba.
But, back to the cleaner. Her daughter kept asking her if she had tried it out yet, and Sis made one excuse after another. Finally, she just confessed that she did not know how to use it and had not taken the time to read the manual.
If ever there was a stickler for reading a manual prior to use, it was my husband. My son-in-law accompanied Ray to look at cars one day. Don said, “I thought Ray was going to sit down and read the entire manual before we left the car dealership.”
After my niece had given her mother instructions on using her new tool, my sister did a few trial runs. I gathered that one of the vital things regarding the use of this cleaner is to be certain to set the stops, so that the machine stays within the boundaries where you want it.
My niece retrieved the cleaner and took it to her house to try it out. She said she set a table leaf to keep it within a certain room, but when she checked on it, the machine had gone over the leaf and was cleaning in an adjoining room.
The latest news from last week is that my sister had used the vacuum and was pleased with it.
Several years ago my sister’s other daughter gave her a fancy new electronic toothbrush for Christmas. When Sis told me about this, I asked how she liked it. “Oh, I really don’t know, I haven’t used it yet.” As time rocked on, I would periodically ask Sis about the new item and she gave various excuses for not using it.
Finally, one day she confessed that she was afraid of it. I told her to read the manual and she responded that she had done that, but was still afraid of it.
Several years later her daughter Terry was moving out of state and Sis approached her and asked if she would like the never-used toothbrush. Terry accepted the offer with gratitude and so far, I’ve not heard of any dire reactions resulting from use of the toothbrush.
9-17-2009
#452
Monday, September 21, 2009
Friday, September 11, 2009
Reunions can Capture Time
Over the years I have often wished that I could have attended some of my high school reunions. In 2002 my class celebrated our sixtieth reunion. How I would love to have gone to that, even though I likely would not have recognized many of those present.
Time gets away so fast, and a person looks back and realizes that years have passed since we were back in class together and enjoying mostly carefree days with no serious worries.
When you do look back, certain people stand out in your memories. You think of the beautiful young teenage girls, and the handsome athletic boys. Most of the girls were impressed with the football players and those who participated in basketball.
In the school yearbooks, students were named as the most likely to succeed, the prettiest girls, the friendliest and so on. Boys are also known for their outstanding qualities.
Of course, there were the cheerleaders. At our school, we had both boy and girl cheerleaders. Several years ago, one of my grand-daughters was here and she found my old annual and began laughing as she leafed through the book.
“Mamaw, were those the cheerleader uniforms?” Rachel asked.
“Yes, our school colors were red and gray, so the boys wore gray wool slacks with red satin shirts, and the girls wore gray wool circular skirts (below the knee length) with the red satin shirts.
As I overheard conversations regarding the all school Waurika reunion this weekend, I was impressed with how well the activities were organized. But I know a lot of former students worked long and hard on getting this all together. I heard several people state that this was the best reunion of all time. The musical entertainment during the banquet seemed to be especially pleasing to the crowd.
As a member of the class of ’69, Starr was impressed with the number from her class who were there for their 40th reunion. Of course, it’s sad when you realize that a large number have already passed away.
When she got in Saturday night after the banquet, I began to quiz her about who she had seen. “Oh yes, Mother, I saw her and she looks great.” Some she did not recognize right away and some did not recognize her.
From her class of 39 graduates, nine have died. However, they had 40 persons registered for the special noon luncheon for their class. Some of these were spouses and other relatives. I have noticed that over the years the graduates who seem most interested in attending these functions are the older ones, and especially those who live in other towns and states. I suppose this is that eternal longing to return home.
From David’s class of ’68, there is a large number of former students who have returned to Waurika and now make their home here.
Many of the former students who had stayed over till yesterday were in attendance at our church yesterday. I must say, I saw a few whom I did not recognize, but at this stage in life, I’m not embarrassed to ask these people their names. At age 85, we are not expected to remember names or even faces.
9-10-2009
#451
Time gets away so fast, and a person looks back and realizes that years have passed since we were back in class together and enjoying mostly carefree days with no serious worries.
When you do look back, certain people stand out in your memories. You think of the beautiful young teenage girls, and the handsome athletic boys. Most of the girls were impressed with the football players and those who participated in basketball.
In the school yearbooks, students were named as the most likely to succeed, the prettiest girls, the friendliest and so on. Boys are also known for their outstanding qualities.
Of course, there were the cheerleaders. At our school, we had both boy and girl cheerleaders. Several years ago, one of my grand-daughters was here and she found my old annual and began laughing as she leafed through the book.
“Mamaw, were those the cheerleader uniforms?” Rachel asked.
“Yes, our school colors were red and gray, so the boys wore gray wool slacks with red satin shirts, and the girls wore gray wool circular skirts (below the knee length) with the red satin shirts.
As I overheard conversations regarding the all school Waurika reunion this weekend, I was impressed with how well the activities were organized. But I know a lot of former students worked long and hard on getting this all together. I heard several people state that this was the best reunion of all time. The musical entertainment during the banquet seemed to be especially pleasing to the crowd.
As a member of the class of ’69, Starr was impressed with the number from her class who were there for their 40th reunion. Of course, it’s sad when you realize that a large number have already passed away.
When she got in Saturday night after the banquet, I began to quiz her about who she had seen. “Oh yes, Mother, I saw her and she looks great.” Some she did not recognize right away and some did not recognize her.
From her class of 39 graduates, nine have died. However, they had 40 persons registered for the special noon luncheon for their class. Some of these were spouses and other relatives. I have noticed that over the years the graduates who seem most interested in attending these functions are the older ones, and especially those who live in other towns and states. I suppose this is that eternal longing to return home.
From David’s class of ’68, there is a large number of former students who have returned to Waurika and now make their home here.
Many of the former students who had stayed over till yesterday were in attendance at our church yesterday. I must say, I saw a few whom I did not recognize, but at this stage in life, I’m not embarrassed to ask these people their names. At age 85, we are not expected to remember names or even faces.
9-10-2009
#451
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Ability to Read is a Blessing
In my view one of life’s greatest blessings is the ability to read. This, along with an available source of material, is a way of opening the world to us. We can find books for every interest. I once read a statement, “Someone who can read but doesn’t, is no better off than someone who cannot read.”
I can remember as a small child sitting on the arm of my dad’s chair and having him read the comics to me. He would be reading his evening paper after work and I would find the comic section (I called them the ‘funnies’) and take it to him. He never complained when he laid aside his paper and boosted me onto his lap or the arm of his chair and began to read.
Those are some of my earliest and best memories.
Later after I learned to read, I was fascinated with the Little Golden Books and think I must have read every one of those that was published.
Then I graduated to The Bobsey Twins and Nancy Drew series. There was never a lack of material to enjoy. I realize now that we could have had much more reading resources had we gone to the public library on a regular basis.
I remember as a junior high student, I got involved in some books that were so real to me, I actually believed that I was one of the characters in the stories. One of those books was about a teenage girl who was spending the summer at a camp. Another of the girls became lost one night, and the main character went out with the search party. Eventually the lost girl was located and I remember the feeling of relief and joy as I read this. As the members of the search party sat around the open fire outside, I could taste the hot chocolate they were drinking to warm themselves.
As I progressed into high school, we read some of the classics such as “A Tale of Two Cities.” We even studied some of Chaucer’s works, although I never learned to correctly pronounce the words in the language he used.
Over the years when I have entered a bookstore, I knew I would be there for likely several hours. I must admit that there have been times when I purchased a book that I had previously bought. Or I have checked out books from the library that I’d already read.
As I’ve gotten older and my eyes are not as good as they once were, I’ve often worried what I would do if I lost my ability to read. One of the advantages now is that so much good reading material is available in large print, and I do like that. I believe that these large print books are being made more available each year.
When David was a toddler and Starr a baby, I would sit in my rocker with Starr on my shoulder and David on the arm of my chair. We sat this way for hours, sometimes, but they never grew tired of hearing the stories.
A friend’s little boy came home from school and announced he’d learned to read. His mother pointed to the name embossed on the stove and said, “Read that.”
“We don’t read stoves, we read books, Mom.”
9-3-2009
#450
I can remember as a small child sitting on the arm of my dad’s chair and having him read the comics to me. He would be reading his evening paper after work and I would find the comic section (I called them the ‘funnies’) and take it to him. He never complained when he laid aside his paper and boosted me onto his lap or the arm of his chair and began to read.
Those are some of my earliest and best memories.
Later after I learned to read, I was fascinated with the Little Golden Books and think I must have read every one of those that was published.
Then I graduated to The Bobsey Twins and Nancy Drew series. There was never a lack of material to enjoy. I realize now that we could have had much more reading resources had we gone to the public library on a regular basis.
I remember as a junior high student, I got involved in some books that were so real to me, I actually believed that I was one of the characters in the stories. One of those books was about a teenage girl who was spending the summer at a camp. Another of the girls became lost one night, and the main character went out with the search party. Eventually the lost girl was located and I remember the feeling of relief and joy as I read this. As the members of the search party sat around the open fire outside, I could taste the hot chocolate they were drinking to warm themselves.
As I progressed into high school, we read some of the classics such as “A Tale of Two Cities.” We even studied some of Chaucer’s works, although I never learned to correctly pronounce the words in the language he used.
Over the years when I have entered a bookstore, I knew I would be there for likely several hours. I must admit that there have been times when I purchased a book that I had previously bought. Or I have checked out books from the library that I’d already read.
As I’ve gotten older and my eyes are not as good as they once were, I’ve often worried what I would do if I lost my ability to read. One of the advantages now is that so much good reading material is available in large print, and I do like that. I believe that these large print books are being made more available each year.
When David was a toddler and Starr a baby, I would sit in my rocker with Starr on my shoulder and David on the arm of my chair. We sat this way for hours, sometimes, but they never grew tired of hearing the stories.
A friend’s little boy came home from school and announced he’d learned to read. His mother pointed to the name embossed on the stove and said, “Read that.”
“We don’t read stoves, we read books, Mom.”
9-3-2009
#450
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
