Don't Mess With Me Today

What started out as a beautiful day just went south.

But before I rant, please take time to read this post over at Pondering Penguin. Karen writes so thoughtfully about Elizabeth Edwards and the recent announcement of her recurrence of cancer.

Cancer is such a hideous disease, isn't it. Vicki wrote recently of a young woman just turning 20, who is faced with needing a bone marrow transplant because of leukemia, and undergoing harvesting of eggs for future use because in all probability she would not be able to conceive after all the treatments. That's not what a 20 year old should be facing.

In our church, there is a gentleman who has just turned 70, who is battling cancer, and he's not winning. It started out in his tongue, is now in his throat, practically strangling him, and there isn't much left to be done. He and his wife have a daughter who is developmentally delayed, nearing 50 years of age, and that burden is heavy. Yes, arrangements are made, but the worry is still there.

But then there is Ben, who survived his ordeal this last year, and Anthony, who, so far, is doing well after his bone marrow transplant. While there's breath there's hope, n'est-ce pas.

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Spring training is almost over. I smiled when I read B.C. this morning.

I have a ticket for one more game this week, and then the boys of summer will be headed north to begin the regular season of baseball. The month of spring training is all too short. Along with the boys going north, will be many of the snowbirds who migrate back to their homes in the north. Some of them will be missed; some won't. Our roads will be less crowded, but the restaurants and businesses who depend on tourism will be wishing they were still here.

When my daughter was getting ready for college, we went to North Carolina to finish her registration for fall. We traveled back to Florida on Saturday, April 1. I'm so glad we were coming south. Going north on I-75 was a steady stream of cars, RV's, campers, boats. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I would have never believed it. It was as though the state was being evacuated, and in a way, it was. The kids and I wished them all a good trip. That migration will soon be taking place again.
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Now for my RANT. For those of us who live in Florida, homeowner's insurance is a touchy subject. I remember crying when our premium doubled to $600.00. That was many years ago.
The Allst*te pulled out of our area, saying that we were high risk, and some company took over. They got their increase, pulled out, and so on and so on. Last year I paid $2500, and I complained. My premium this year? With yet another company...$4138.00. I submitted a payment of over $1000. Just one little mistake...I left off the fifty cents after the decimal point. So today I get a notice of cancellation if they don't have their fifty cents before April 4. I'm going to pay whatever postage it takes to send it in pennies. That just makes me SO MAD.

Make New Friends, but Keep the Old

I know that anyone who was ever in Girl Scouts learned that song, along with Kookaburra, and other rounds sung in troop meetings. What a wonderful time that was. The photo above was probably taken around 1950 when we were in fifth or sixth grade. Most of us in that troop had begun scouting together as Brownies. Many of them went on in high school to become Mariner Scouts. The neat thing is that many of us who are in that photo still get together for lunch about once every three months, not just as former Girl Scouts, but as friends who went to school together from kindergarten through high school.

After I graduated from college, I lived in Cincinnati for five years and taught there. I have very fond memories of my years there, but after teaching there, I traveled to Haiti and lived for three and a half years and taught the children of missionaries. Most of those missionaries have retired now, and many of them live here in Bradenton at Bradenton Missionary Village, a community provided by Anthony Rossi, the founder to Tropicana Products. Whenever someone comes to visit, we take that opportunity to get together and visit.

Such was the case last Thursday. One of the missionary ladies who lives in New York came to the Orlando area to visit her son and daughter-in-law who have recently moved here. We met together for a pot-luck lunch, and as usual the stories began to be told by the men. They have the tales to tell.

As I look at these photos, I think of all the years of service that these folks gave. Most of them spent their entire adult lives in ministry to others. Some are now widowed, some are not in good health, but they rejoice in God's goodness in their lives. I have always counted it such a privilege to know them and to have had a part in the education of their children, many of whom are missionaries as well.

These are the "old friends."
I'm so happy for the "new friends" that I've met through the blogging community - SRP, AC, Coll, Karen, Debra, Judy, Tammy, Susie, Vicki, Vickie, Janice, Pastor Gordon, Lauren, Bet,Ron and the list continues to expand. My day is made brighter by visiting your blogs, sometimes lurking, often commenting. Thanks.

Make new friends, but keep the old;
Those are silver, these are gold.
New-made friendships, like new wine,
Age will mellow and refine.
Friendships that have stood the test -
Time and change - are surely best;
Brow may wrinkle, hair grow gray,
Friendship never knows decay.
For 'mid old friends, tried and true,
Once more we our youth renew.
But old friends, alas! may die,
New friends must their place supply.
Cherish friendship in your breast-
New is good, but old is best;
Make new friends, but keep the old;
Those are silver, these are gold.
Joseph Parry

A Day at the Park

On the first warm (a relatively loose term) day in March, Ella made her first trip to the park with her mommy and daddy. A great time was had by all. The park is not far at all from David and Sabrina's house. In just a few weeks, after our Sweet Adelines competition in Daytona Beach, I'll be driving to Virginia to stay for a while. I look forward to making visits to the park to watch the ducks and whatever else may be there.

Of course, I can hardly wait to see this darling baby again, as you all well know. Don't you love her hat?

A year later

A year ago I posted about Ben, a young man living and working with his wife in Columbia, South Carolina. Their lives were forever changed that day when Ben was taken to the hospital, talking funny. The result was that he was diagnosed with testicular cancer, which had invaded his body and caused a stroke. This note from his wife:

Well, today is a day of mixed emotions for us. Exactly one year ago today
I received a phone call from Ben's boss at my job telling me that he was talking
funny, so they'd taken him to the emergency room. From there our lives
spun madly out of control and you all know the rest of the story. But
today marks a year that Ben has survived when he was only given a 50% chance, so
praise to God that he's still with us and doing so well.
You all have been an amazing support and we
are looking forward to the start of a much better year--post cancer and dramatic
brain surgery etc. We pray that things will only get better from here!

This also is from Liza:

Ben's going to therapy every day and I think this week they'll be ordering the "Saeboflex" glove for him to use for therapy on his arm. Here's a link to more info about the glove:
http://www.saebo.com/seaboflex.html

Ben feels like his arm is improving, so that's encouraging. His occupational therapist did tell him that he will probably not get back fine motor skills such as typing or writing, so he should continue to work on doing those with his left hand. Please pray that he would be motivated to work on those skills even though it's a disappointment that he won't be able to do them with his right hand as he used to.
Ben received something called "A Ticket to Work" from the Social Security Administration which is supposed to give him free vocational rehab, so hopefully we are going to look into that this week sometime just to see exactly what the program is all about. He probably won't actually start until he's done with therapy since that's our main focus at the moment, and since he's still not really ready to get back into a job yet.

There's much here to be thankful for and much to pray for yet.

Thanks for all your comments

I asked David what he thought might have been going through his mind when that picture was taken. His answer? "I have no idea. It was posed." I remember looking out that kitchen window one day in October after the wind had blown all the leaves from the two big tree in their back yard, and I thought to myself that someone is going to have a lot of work to do. There were leaves on the trees in the morning, but by afternoon they had all come down.

I liked Anna's thought and some of you thought Mommy stuff as well. Anna was thinking that maybe Mommy was getting some time to herself, and David and Ella were watching her leave.

They looked rather serious to me. I know that Ella's CF is on my mind everyday, and I was wondering if David might be looking ahead, wondering what the future holds. One day when Ella's older she'll be asking questions about it all. OK, that's enough heavy stuff.

Thanks again for commenting.

What do they see?

I have several favorite photos of my granddaughter and her parents, and this is definitely one of them. Looking out their kitchen window, what do they see? What are they thinking? I have some thoughts, and I'll share them at a later time, but I'm going to take an idea from Carmi and some other blogs I've read and ask you your thoughts. What do you think might be going through their minds as they look out the window?

Take Me Out to the Ballgame, Part 2

The Pirates play at McKechnie Field in Bradenton. This field and seats were redone a few years ago, and instead of building a fancy, new facility out of town, they decided to stay here near downtown Bradenton. That made us all happy. Today the Pirates played the Tampa Bay Rays. Neither team has a stellar record. In fact, I don't believe either of them had won a game before today's game, and the Pirates beat them 5-2. It's going to be a long season.

I haven't seen too many young families here this week. I guess it isn't spring break up north yet, or else they're still frozen. At Monday's game, they announced the respective scores of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh as being 25 and 20. Everyone laughed. Then the temperature of Bradenton was announced as being 70, and that brought cheers from everyone.
It's always fun having a friend along. My friend Peg and I have been friends since we were in elementary school. We lost touch for a few years ago, but we reconnected after she moved back to Bradenton. Monday we ate foot-long hot dogs; today we enjoyed a slice of pizza.

Spring training runs through the end of the month. The Yankees will be here Saturday. The Red Sox will be playing too. I don't have tickets for either of those games. I believe the Braves are coming too. AC, eat your heart out. I believe that game is sold out.

I intended this post to come second, and I tried publishing this one first, so that it would be on bottom, but I didn't succeed. Oh, well.

Take Me Out to the Ballgame, Part 1

March in Florida means baseball. It's that time of year when the boys of summer get together and practice for the upcoming baseball season. Bradenton is the winter home of the Pittsburgh Pirates. When I was growing up, the Boston Braves trained here, and later the Milwaukee Braves.

My parents were great baseball fans. My mother said when she married my dad that if she hadn't learned to love baseball, she would have been a baseball widow. Long after my father had died, she remained a fan, following the Atlanta Braves.

It's always fun to go to the games with a friend. There aren't too many young families here this week. It must not be spring break yet. But the old folks are there...those who are loyal to the Pirates, no matter what. It used to be when I went to the games, I recognized the names, back in the days of the Killer B's - Bonds, Bonilla, Bream, Bell and there was one other whose name escapes me. Kevin, the young man in the picture below is back this year. He's the "Whazzup" guy. For several years he was a vendor, and you got used to his familiar cry. He was away for two years and is back this year. Monday when I went to the game, he wasn't hollering out to the crowd. He ran up to where we were sitting and said that someone had complained about his being loud. Can you imagine?! Someone told him to tell his boss that they were going to give up their season tickets if they muffled him, so today he was hollering out again. We all smiled. Some people!

Good Luck Charms

My son and daughter-in-law gave me this print, Good Luck Charms, by P. Buckley Moss at Christmas time when they came to Florida. I have just had it framed and am so pleased how it turned out. I told them I'd send them a picture, so I thought I'd show it to you as well.

P. Buckley Moss lives in Waynesboro, Virginia where my son and his wife live. She also has a studio in St. Petersburg, just over the bridge. A dyslexic child, one teacher said that she would never amount to anything, but she had artistic ability.

She has become a role model for the learning impaired and frequently is asked to speak to special education classes. Donations of Moss' original works and prints to related children's charities have raised millions of dollars for their causes. Read more about her here.

I'm quite pleased with how the framing came out. The matting is just right. The frame's true color doesn't show here. It is a pewter gray.

Scary

I do believe blogging is gettig to me. I dreamed last night that I was at a concert, and SRP's brother was singing. Many of you follow her blog and know that Stephen is an opera singer. Later he was sitting among the audience, and I passed by him to get to my seat, and I stepped on his toe.

I excused myself, and we began talking. He spoke of his niece Nyssa. However, in the dream, he was much younger and thinner. He could really sing, though.

Crazy, huh?

So much for the accents

I think the previous post pretty much debunks the accent quiz. I took it and came out Southern, and that was after I changed some of my answers, hoping it would be Southern. Tammy and AC, who are from Kentucky and Tennessee, respectively, did not test out Southern. Colleen, in Canada, got mixed results. It was fun, though. Oh, well.

Have you taken this quiz?

What American accent do you have? Your Result: The South   That's a Southern accent you've got there. You may love it, you may hate it, you may swear you don't have it, but whatever the case, we can hear it.
The Inland North
The Northeast
Philadelphia
The Midland
The West
Boston
North Central
What American accent do you have? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

One More Thing

I taught school for 36 years. Many teachers do not throw things away. I am one of those. You don't want to throw it away, for if you do, you'll need it tomorrow. If you've been reading this blog any time at all, you know that I am thinking of relocating to live near my son and his family. My daughter and I have decided life is too short; friends are wonderful, but family is where it's at. Because of Ella's CF, it is likely that they will stay where they are for a good while since they are so close to a certified CF clinic at UVA Children's Hospital.

I have lived in the same house for 30 years. My husband and I had it built when I was pregnant with my daughter. I'm now in the process of sorting through STUFF and discarding. We don't have basements here, so my garage has accumulated a lot of the STUFF. I can park my car in it at night, however.

Books, books, and more books. Many of them are children's books that I held on to primarily for any grandchildren who might come along. Some of them I've already sent to Ella for her ever-growing library...books like The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? and some gems by Jan Brett and Mary Engelbreit. Yesterday I went out into the garage to pack up some more, and there were yet more.

I've always said that if I cleaned out a spot, more STUFF would just rise up to take its place.

When my husband died, I didn't dispose of his belongings right away. Little by little, I've gotten rid of things, but it's hard to let go. The first thing to go was the drawer of socks. Whenever I bought him new socks, they went into the drawer with the old ones until you could hardly close the drawer. I know it should have been my job to keep them culled out, but I didn't always.

There is a wonderful organization in St. Pete called D&D Missionary Homes, and they operate a clothes closet for missionaries who have need of clothing. When they're getting ready to go back to the mission field, they can go into the "store" and take as much as they feel that they can use for their next term of service. If they're going back to the field with small children, they can take clothes in graded sizes, as many as they think they need. So when I finally decided to take his clothes out of the closet, I filled a couple of suitcases full and sent them there.

Now that I'm getting serious about cleaning out STUFF, I looked in the closet this morning. There, hanging, were two suits that I had bought for Don in the early years of our marriage. They are in wonderful condition, and as far as I know, are not out of style. I loved them when I bought them, and I still do. I hope that someone passing through D&D Homes wears a 44 Long. They will find two nice suits.

When I lived in Haiti, clothing would come there in "missionary barrels." The missionary kids were funny when they talked about where they had gotten their latest fashions. Our field director was bemoaning the fact that he never got any suits because he said, "No one ever dies my size."

So, as I took the clothing to my church this morning, to be picked up and taken to D&D, I held those suits one last time, remembering.

Take a look at these

Many years ago, when I was much, much younger, I lived in Haiti. I was a schoolteacher of children of missionaries. Three and a half years were spent doing a job that I loved in a land that I loved as dearly.

Probably one of the things that I always found interesting was how people carried things...on their heads. Little children began by wrapping a cloth in a ring, placing it on their heads, and then placing their load, whether it was a book, or a small dish, or perhaps some fruit.

I was always amazed at how erect the people were as they carried their loads, and while I'm not a student of physics, I'm sure that carrying things on the head makes much more sense than holding the load in front of you or propping it on your hips.

A former co-worker of mine sent this link today. Take a look at it. None of the loads are being carried on the heads, but I believe that you will agree with me that these individuals do not lack in their ingenuity. Who needs an SUV or a pickup? They're already green.

All About God's Amazing Grace

For several weeks the previews at the movies have been shown for the movie, Amazing Grace, which came out in theaters today. Almost every Saturday some of my Sweet Adeline friends and I go to see a movie and then out to dinner, and today was no different.

The movie is about William Wilberforce and his efforts to bring about the abolition of slavery. Its release today,February 23, 2007, coincides with the 200th anniversary of the date the Parliament of the United Kingdom voted to ban the transport of slaves by British subjects. He worked many years in Parliament to see this day.

The title of the movie is taken from the song "Amazing Grace" written by John Newton, a man who had formerly carried slaves on his ships. He later became a Christian and penned the words that were later set to music.

The theater was full, as I hoped it would be, and I hope it will continue to have a good showing. It's too bad that it isn't being shown in more theaters. There is certainly a movement to bring worthwhile movies to Hollywood, and this is certainly a good movie to see. It certainly has a strong Christian message, as well as telling the history of the abolitionist movement of that day.

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed!

Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my Shield and Portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, Who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.

from Cyberhymnal
According to Cyberhymnal, the last verse was not in the original poem, but was added later.

Thursday Thoughts

I seem to have been around the world reading blogs the last two days. Some blogs are such fun to read; some are beautiful; some are very thought-provoking; some are very emotional. Yesterday the gamut ran from reading about poop at the zoo to reading someone's very emotional reaction to his ex-girlfriend's abortion twenty years ago.

My blog has no theme to speak of. I post a photo occasionally, photos of Ella often, post something I read in an e-mail. I read a post yesterday that made me pause and think for a while about the Lenten season that is upon us. I was not raised in a liturgical church, and so observing Lent had never been part of my Christian experience. In just the last few years, though, in part because of my son, I've gotten out of what I would call my comfort zone in my somewhat narrow view of my Christianity.

When my husband was taken in an accident almost five years ago, David had just graduated from Penn State and was still in State College working with a campus ministry organization. While a student, he had been mentored by another student who was a member of a reformed Presbyterian church, and David became acquainted with the liturgy of the church and really grew to love it. When he came home for the service for his dad, a young man named John came down to be with him during that time.

We were sitting around the table talking one evening talking, and we began talking about churches and modes of worship. John told me that he worshipped in an Episcopal church, and one of the reasons he worshipped there was that he said is is so ADHD that he could concentrate on his worship, unlike what he had experienced when he went to church with a girlfriend of his, in a service that was, shall we say, not so formal.

One of the authors that David introduced me to is Lauren Winner, who has written a book, Girl Meets God. In this book, she speaks of her journey to faith in Christ, and she speaks of embracing the liturgy of the church. She is a bibliophile, and when Lent came about, someone asked her what she was going to give up. She thought about it and decided that she would give up reading for Lent. That would be for her truly like going without eating for those forty days.

In a blog I read yesterday, the author stated that she would once again not be blogging during the season, but rather would direct her thoughts Godward. That gave me a lot to think about.

This is a wonderful season for the Christian as we look forward to the day when we remember the resurrection of our Lord, as we do each Sunday, but more so on Easter. In writing this, my mind goes to a hymn that we used to sing a lot during our communion services at church.

I gave My life for thee, My precious blood I shed,
That thou might ransomed be, and raised up from the dead
I gave, I gave My life for thee, what hast thou given for Me?
I gave, I gave My life for thee, what hast thou given for Me?

My Father’s house of light, My glory circled throne
I left for earthly night, for wanderings sad and lone;
I left, I left it all for thee, hast thou left aught for Me?
I left, I left it all for thee, hast thou left aught for Me?

I suffered much for thee, more than thy tongue can tell,
Of bitterest agony, to rescue thee from hell.
I’ve borne, I’ve borne it all for thee, what hast thou borne for Me?
I’ve borne, I’ve borne it all for thee, what hast thou borne for Me?

And I have brought to thee, down from My home above,
Salvation full and free, My pardon and My love;
I bring, I bring rich gifts to thee, what hast thou brought to Me?
I bring, I bring rich gifts to thee, what hast thou brought to Me?

Frances Havergal

Have I given anything?

Hymn from Cyberhymnal

Dog's Worst Nightmare

There was a little turtle.

I love turtles. When I was in third grade, before we were afraid of all the germs, I had a pet turtle. It was very popular to own them in those days. That particular turtle had his shell painted with Jack Benny's name on it. I don't remember whatever happened to him.

When I started teaching, I didn't have a turtle in my classroom, but my roommate and I had a pair for pets. We went away one weekend, or maybe it was longer, and we left them with a friend of ours. I'm sure they would have survived o.k. by themselves, but when we returned and they heard our voices, they just about crawled out of the bowl.

Recently in the news I read about the golden retriever who swallowed the pet turtle, and the turtle survived. When the family realized what had happened, they took the dog to the vet, and the turtle was removed, alive. His shell was a little bit damaged, but none the worse for the wear. I'm not sure about the dog. I'll bet he had a sore throat.

News flash from a paper in the UK. Turtle found 1.8 miles from home after being on the loose for 8 months.

I love turtles. Here in Florida we have the turtle watches, where people go to the beach and set up barriers for the loggerhead turtle's eggs, and then when it is time for them to go into the gulf, encourage everyone to keep their lights dim or out, so that they don't become disoriented when trying to find their way into the water. I wonder what per cent of them actually survive once they reach the water. Many of them end of being some other sea animals dinner.

I haven't taken any photos of turtles. I wish I did. I'm never sure about copying photos from the internet. Very often they are copyrighted and are not available for free.

I'm reminded of the poem that I learned as a child, taught it to my children in first grade, and to my own children.

There was a little turtle.
He lived in a box.
He swam in a puddle.
He climbed on the rocks.

He snapped at a mosquito.
He snapped at a flea.
He snapped at a minnow.
And he snapped at me.

He caught the mosquito.
He caught the flea.
He caught the minnow.
But he didn't catch me.

Vachel Lindsay

Chocolate, anyone?

In the lobby by the elevators on the first three floors of the hotel in Nashville were these chocolate creations done by the chefs of the hotel. The first day that I was there, I glanced at them, but upon looking more closely, discovered that they were made of chocolate.

Since Nashville is "Music City," the sculptures were very appropriate, reminiscent of the early days of the Grand Old Opry.

Some thoughts for you about chocolate.

The 12-step chocoholics program: NEVER BE MORE THAN 12 STEPS AWAY FROM CHOCOLATE! Terry Moore

Strength is the capacity to break a chocolate bar into four pieces with your bare hands - and then eat just one of the pieces. Judith Viorst

Seen recently on a tee shirt ~ EMERGENCY ALERT: If wearer of this shirt is found vacant, listless, or depressed, ADMINISTER CHOCOLATE IMMEDIATELY

This guy found a bottle on the ocean, and he opened it and out popped a genie, and he gave him three wishes. The guy wished for a million dollars, and poof! there was a million dollars. Then he wished for a convertible, and poof! there was a convertible. And then, he wished he could be irresistible to all women... poof! he turned into a box of chocolates.

Here's My Valentine

I'll try once again to post a photo. I spent the last four days in Nashville with Ella. Her mom was attending a financial aid seminar, and so I went up to take care of Ela while her mom was in meetings. We had a great time! I left home in the wee hours of the morning on Sunday to fly up to Nashville. We were at the Renaissan*e Hotel that was connected to the convention center, so it was a very pleasant place to be.

I actually arrived in Nashville before they did, so I went walking around a bit. The Ryman auditorium, which used to house the Grand Old Opry is right across the street. I didn't go inside since I had been there last spring. The building has quite a history. The acoustics are better than Carnegie Hall, and it is quite a popular venue for artists to perform.

Of course, I'm not prejudiced about Ella, but she is absolutely adorable. She is so good natured. She doesn't fuss when her parents do the chest p.t., even when they wake her up to do it. We played a lot and went for walks around the hotel. I didn't venture out with her because it rained on Monday and Tuesday, and then when it stopped raining, the temperatures dropped. Schools were closed on Wednesday in the area, mainly because of the ice.

When I made my reservations for travel, I got a cheap rate. However, I had odd hours for flying. My flight home left Nashville at 6:32 on Wednesday night, flew to O'Hare, and then to Tampa. As it turned out, it worked out well since flights had been delayed all day. My flight in Nashville left about a half hour late. I was a little concerned about getting to the next gate at O'Hare, but when I checked the screen, it said the flight was leaving at 10:15. It ended up leaving around 11, which, of course, was 12 in Tampa. We landed about 2:15. By the time I got my bag and my car, it was 3. I had a hair appointment at 9:30 this morning, so I thought I'd just sleep in my clothes and get up and go to the beauty shop, but that didn't work. I went to bed around 4, got up at 8:20, got my hair done, and I haven't done much else the rest of the day.

It was so good to be with this baby. I just kept drinking in the joy of being with her again. It was a Happy Valentine's Day for me.