[Masthead] Fair ~ 35°F  
High: 52°F ~ Low: 32°F
Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2012
On being a lefty (02/02/12)
About one in 10 Americans is left-handed. Years ago being a lefty was considered a disadvantage, almost a curse. I have three siblings and none of them is left-handed. But two members of my family have tendencies. I learned this week that my dad could wield a hammer equally well with either hand. ...
Woman, an enigma (01/26/12)
Women have been getting men in trouble for a long time. It dates back to the first woman, Eve, who persuaded Adam to disobey God. Recently our preacher spoke about the Creation and God's plan for man. Seems God thought Adam, the first man, needed a suitable helpmate; a maid...
Anti-aging remedies (01/19/12)
You aren't going to know me in two weeks. At least that's what my makeup would have you believe. For Christmas my daughter bought me a slew of brand name makeup for aging skin. First, there's the revitalizing foaming cleaner with the 7-in-1 aging formula. It's for producing clean, visibly younger looking skin...
Good and bad news (01/05/12)
I'm no Martha Stewart. I started out the New Year with a pot of burned red beans. What I should have done is put on a pot of black-eyed peas. But I didn't. I put the dried beans on to cook, then sat down on the couch and started reading Fannie Flagg's novel "Welcome to the World, Baby Girl."...
Christmas with mama (12/22/11)
Mama loved Christmas. She could hardly wait until Christmas morning to open her gifts. Actually, she didn't wait. I've known her to secretly open the end of a package, peek inside, then carefully retape the wrapping paper. She was always like that. In later years, her children learned not to give her a gift until the last minute...
The Christmas seasons (12/15/11)
When my children were very young, Christmas was a magical time. On Christmas Eve night, their toys would be brought out from their hiding place and put near the Christmas tree. The children, tucked in their beds, could hardly wait for Santa to make his appearance in the dead of night...
Groceries are changing (12/08/11)
The world is changing. So is coffee. Have you noticed that the Maxwell House coffee container is smaller, not the normal 2 pounds 1.9 ounce container? Folger's Coffee, too, has introduced smaller packaging. Maybe they thought we wouldn't notice because both products are still packaged in their traditional designs and colors...
Thanksgiving thanks (11/27/11)
Times are bad, but all around are reasons to give thanks. If there is peace in your heart, give thanks. If your home is warm this winter, give thanks. If you have Thanksgiving ham or turkey, give thanks. If your health is good, give thanks. If you have a best friend who shares your good times and bad, give thanks...
Honoring our veterans (11/17/11)
We buried my Uncle Bill two weeks ago. Then a few days later, before I put the coffee on, a dear friend phoned to say that her husband had died in the early morning hours. He was my friend too. Both Uncle Bill and my deceased friend have been a part of my life forever, it seems...
I blame the Baptists. (11/10/11)
I blame the Baptists. I've put on three pounds and it's from all the eatin'. Baptists will throw a fellowship meal at the drop of a hat. If an evangelist comes to speak at the church, the ladies cook a churchwide meal for him. Everyone is invited to partake...
Over the hill clothes (11/03/11)
While browsing through a catalog this week, it struck me that few of the models depicted in the publication resemble anyone I know. The slender, willowy, curvaceous models couldn't weigh over 100 pounds soaking wet. They are gorgeous, small-waisted and disgustingly young with long slender legs...
Halloween "guising" (10/20/11)
Once upon a time at Halloween, children in disguise went from door to door carrying lanterns made of scooped out turnips. The turnip has traditionally been used in Ireland and Scotland at Halloween but immigrants to North America used the native pumpkin, which are both plentiful and much larger--making them easier to carve than turnips...
The White Room (10/13/11)
My daughter is threatening me with the White Room again. She has a new rule.The rule is that I must email her every night even if she doesn't email me. We have this ritual of emailing each other goodnight, but lately she's making excuses. She's too busy, she's tired, she's boring, all kind of excuses like that...
A pizza marriage (10/06/11)
Last Sunday I watched a minister, Kerry Shook, bake a pizza on Trinity Broadcasting Network television. I admit that's the first time I've seen that done to illustrate a point. He was talking about marriage and relationships. As he ministered, he put the ingredients together...
Where's the humor? (09/29/11)
I wish I could find something funny to write about. But I can't find any humor when an audit by the Justice Department this week revealed the government spent $4,200 on 250 muffins and $2,880 on 300 cookies and brownies, for a legal training conference...
Ovarian cancer kills (09/22/11)
You probably don't know a lot about ovarian cancer. Neither did I when I was diagnosed 17 years ago. I didn't know I had the deadly cancer because I didn't recognize the symptoms. And I had all four of them. I had stomach bloating, pelvic and abdominal pain, digestive problems and urinary frequency...
Our last reunion (09/16/11)
My recent high school reunion renews my conviction that I am getting older. Well, okay, old. On Saturday, less than half my class gathered for our last reunion. There were 62 of us who graduated from Caruthersville High. To date, 36 of them are deceased...
Recycling yesterday (09/08/11)
We hear a lot about recycling. And saving energy, too. Things are different today than they were once upon a time. Remember when we washed cloth baby diapers and hung them on the clotheslines to dry. Wind and sun dried all our clothes. We didn't buy throwaway diapers (or ink pens or throw-a-way plastic razors)...
Does worry ever end? (09/01/11)
Do we ever stop worrying about our children? That's a question asked by parents all through life. I think the answer is no. Although my children are adults, I still worry about them. But the question here is a different kind. Do children ever stop worrying about their parents?...
Three little words: Made somehwere else (08/25/11)
I found a bargain the other day. I was so proud. It was a nice pantsuit. The original price was $79 but, of course, I didn't pay that. It had been marked down twice and I was prepared to pay the markdown price of $20. Then as I walked toward the checkout, a lady heading for the door handed me a 30 percent off coupon good for that shopping day only...
Golden Rule days begin (08/18/11)
I remember first grade and my first day of school. I was so afraid. I remember that I held tightly to my aunt's hand as she led me into the big building. I was afraid of that big brick building and the wide hallways and all the kids milling about. I didn't cry but I didn't want to be left there, alone, with all those strange kids, and the teacher...
Advice from the experts (08/11/11)
We often give advice and take it, too. Erma Bombeck said you should never have more children than you have car windows. And never lend your car to anyone to whom you have given birth. President Harry Truman said he found the best way to give advice to your children is to find out what they want and then advise them to do it...
The serenity of birds (08/04/11)
Sometimes I like it quiet. When the din of the surroundings overpowers me, I want to close my ears and drown out the noise. In restaurants and stores we hear the ringing and dinging of cell phones. In places where televisions are for sale, all the sets flash in unison as they cry, "Buy me, buy me."...
Remember Kem-Tone paint? (07/28/11)
Every so often I think about mama. She died of Alzheimer's disease when she was 93. She was born in 1910. I guess she didn't have an easy life. She was a housewife and mother of four. She kept house, cooked meals in a hot kitchen because there was no air conditioning...
Another class reunion (07/21/11)
I've got to start getting myself in shape. Before Sept. 10. That's when my high school class reunion will be held. To reduce down to the weight I was as a high school senior, I'll have to lose 12 pounds. I'll have to work fast to accomplish that. On second thought, I'll try to lose two or three; just enough to comfortably wear my jeans. That's more attainable...
Shopping in a silver bullet (07/14/11)
My daughter and I went shopping at Paragould Walmart Supercenter on Tuesday. She needed to buy toilet paper and a few other items on her grocery list. I really didn't need anything but figured I'd pick up an item or two. I offered to drive my Buick since it has more trunk space...
Where's the duct tape? (07/07/11)
I start to do something then wind up doing something else. Like this morning. One of the posts on my white poster bed got wobbly and leaned. It wouldn't stay upright. And I couldn't get it to screw back into the grooves. So I decided to fix it somehow...
And the living ain't easy (06/23/11)
My summer started out just as expected. My washing machine overflowed and drenched the padding in the sunroom. I had to manually soak up what I could, then leave a fan running for hours to dry things out. Turns out, I had my purse on my arm and was just going out the back door when I noticed water on the floor...
It's necktie time again (06/16/11)
Sometimes I feel sorry for dads. It takes a real man to be a daddy. They have so much to live up to. When they first hold their newborn in their arms, they have no idea what's in store. So there's much expected of them. First off, they must be a provider...
The pampered pooch (06/09/11)
I was thinking about dogs this morning. We Americans are dog lovers. According to the Humane Society, there are about 77.5 million owned dogs in the United States. Thirty-nine percent of U.S. households own at least one dog. We spoil our pets and spend a lot of money making them comfortable and our vets richer...
Balloons kindle memories (05/26/11)
Yesterday I saw some balloons floating in the breeze. It reminded me of mama and her best friend. I remember the day we told mama the sad news. She lowered her head, clasped her hands together, and cried. Her dearest friend had died in her sleep. That afternoon as I listened, mama talked about her friend and the good times they shared...
Gold Star Wives and Armed Forces Day (05/19/11)
On Saturday we honor our military men and women on Armed Forces Day, and rightly so. They deserve our gratitude and respect, as they serve in wartime and peace. But I want to consider the families behind these soldiers, especially the wives. I identify with these wives because I was one of them for 20 years while my husband served in the United States Air Force...
The mighty Mississippi (05/12/11)
This has been some kind of spring, hasn't it? First widespread tornadoes, then flooding all along the Mississippi River. Because my sister was so afraid of the river, she came to stay with me last week until the danger was over. She evacuated the town of Caruthersville when the river was predicted to crest at 49.5 last Monday. The concrete seawall will hold back only 50 feet of water...
The fascinator hats (05/05/11)
The long awaited wedding is over at last. Catherine and Prince William, with pomp and ceremony, were married on Friday. I agree that Catherine was stunning in her wedding gown. But I think she could wear a gunnysack and look beautiful. Apparently, it was essential that royalty wear hats to the ceremony. There were 36 designer hats worn by VIP ladies at the wedding...
Benchmark testing for adults (04/27/11)
I understand that students have just completed benchmark testing. So I devised a question and answer quiz of a different kind, for adults only. Question One: Superglue will not stick to Teflon. True or false? (I have not personally tested this, but it will stick two adjoining fingers)...
The Spring Time Jubilee (04/21/11)
Someone said I should stop and smell the roses. So I went to Branson to the Spring Time Jubilee Conference. The Jubilee is held twice annually for mature and senior adults. The fall Jubilee will be held in Gatlinburg, Tenn., in late September. Both feature old time gospel singing and preaching...
Never put off till tomorrow... (04/14/11)
Okay, guys. It's time to get started on your Christmas shopping. There are only 255 days until Christmas. No, I'm not kidding. You always fool around until Christmas Eve before you even think about buying gifts. By then, things are picked over, and there's little on the shelves. You hastily grab a box of candy or something that doesn't fit, have the store clerk gift wrap it, and you're done...
Men and cereal boxes (04/07/11)
I guess you've heard of Betty Dukes, a black minister and greeter at Wal-Mart. Dukes is the lead plaintiff in Betty Dukes vs. Wal-Mart Stores, the largest civil rights class action suit in history. She accuses the retail goliath of sex discrimination in pay, promotions and hiring...
Our enlightened age (03/31/11)
I needed to replace a light fixture. The old fluorescent tube light, faithful for lo these many years, had broken. It had lighted my kitchen for over 25 years, faithfully. My son suggested I look at some LED fixtures. After all, the LED bulbs are the latest on the market. At least last time I checked...
Women get lost too (03/24/11)
I got lost in Dyersburg a few months back. I thought I was going west, but I was going south. Now don't ask me how I did that, but when I realized I was going in the wrong direction toward Millington, I stopped and asked a guy for directions. He told me exactly where to turn and how to go so I wouldn't have to backtrack much, but I missed the turn and got lost again...
It's getting muddy (03/17/11)
It's getting muddy out there. Used to be life was black and white. Now the truth is discolored. Time was when a man and woman got married and forsook all others. And there weren't any live-ins which is common place nowadays. There weren't any homosexuals depicted in standard settings on the television screen...
Staying in the ruts (03/10/11)
When my husband and I got married, I knew him pretty well. After all, we had been dating for four and a half years, with a few breakups scattered in between. I, the cautious one, had postponed marriage because I believed that marriage was a permanent bond for better or worse...
Lifestyle changes (03/03/11)
If you are stuck in a situation that you think will never change, hang on. Nothing stays the same. Just like the weather. There's sunshine, rain, storms, warmth and cold. Life is like that, too. All things, both good and bad, change. For sure, our appearance changes. We look in a mirror and wonder who's looking back at us...
Classic fairy tales (02/24/11)
When I was a child, I loved fairy tales. Some of my favorites were Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and The Three Little Pigs. Also Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and Cinderella, a folk tale. I also liked Little Black Sambo. They all had a story to tell of conflict and victory...
Quitting the habit (02/17/11)
Michelle Obama has announced that the president no longer is a smoker. He's been smoke free for almost a year. That is commendable. He is joining the ranks of those who are quitting the nasty habit. I'm sure that as a teenager when the president started puffing, he knew nothing about the dangers and addictiveness. Too late, longtime smokers have discovered that truth the hard way. They are hooked, and quitting is not so easy...
Beloved Valentines (02/11/11)
If we are lucky, a special valentine comes along. Cupid flings an arrow and we become smitten as never before. But there are other kinds of valentines that touch our lives. Maybe they don't cause the heart to pound, but they radiate pure love just the same...
Our shrinking products (02/03/11)
Things are getting tough all over. Groceries, too, are being downsized. This week I bought a half gallon of orange juice. Or I thought I did. However, the Florida's Natural juice is now 59 fluid ounces. And Tropicana premium orange juice now contains 59 ounces, replacing its old 64 ounces...
Being a mind reader (01/27/11)
To have a successful marriage, one must know how to read minds. My friend Eve says she's still learning. When her husband walks into a room, looks blank, and turns his hands palms up, that means he has misplaced his cap. She says, "It's in the bedroom on the bedpost where you left it." He nods yes and hurries to retrieve it...
A marriage expert (01/20/11)
I was married for 35 years so that makes me an expert on marriage. In my lifetime, I've seen what I consider good marriages and not so good. At first, young marrieds are so enamored with each other, they see no faults. Time passes, and differences begin to surface...
Letters, a lost art (01/13/11)
These are the wintry days to wrap up in a warm afghan, read a book you haven't had time to read or to write a personal letter. Write a letter? Yes, remember those days when you took pen and paper and wrote a handwritten letter, mailed in a stamped envelope?...
Did you make a vow? (01/06/11)
Okay. Here's the deal. I don't make a lot of New Year's resolutions....maybe a couple each year. The first one I made last January, I broke in January. Actually, I have a bad habit. No, not smoking. I've never smoked. I bite my nails. Now that I've said it, maybe I can break it...
Leftover fruitcake (12/30/10)
Christmas 2010 is past. And the New Year is on the horizon. Now the question is what to do with the leftover fruitcake. Of course, it can be incorporated into numerous recipes, such as fruitcake stuffing, bread pudding or chocolate covered fruitcake balls...
The Mandarin cobbler (12/23/10)
If I live to be a hundred (and I'm getting close), I'll never understand men. Now I have this email buddy who evidently has been watching all this holiday cooking on television. In fact, almost all talk shows are featuring chefs and holiday recipes...
Christmas with Mama (12/16/10)
Mama loved Christmas. She could hardly wait until Christmas morning to open her gifts. Actually, she didn't always wait. I've known her to secretly open the end of a package, peek inside, then carefully retape the wrapping paper. She was always like that...
The lost and found (12/09/10)
I lost a ring Saturday before last. I had a feeling I might lose it because it was a size too big for my finger. It was inexpensive costume jewelry but it was pretty and fairly new. I know I'll never get it back because I shopped at six different locations that day...
Aging can be funny (12/02/10)
When people grow old, they begin to view things in a different way. Though the appearance changes outwardly, often the older person feels young inside. Jokes and bumper stickers speak for the elderly sometimes. A recent bumper sticker read, "I'm retired. I was tired yesterday. I'm tired again today."...
Thanksgiving blessings (11/29/10)
It's time to emphasize the positive. Tomorrow as families gather to celebrate Thanksgiving, we count our blessings. The number around the table may be fewer, but there are blessings just the same. Sure, the economy has nosedived, but for most of us there's still food on the table and a warm place to sleep at night...
God bless our troops (11/11/10)
I didn't hear the political candidates mention the military during their non-stop campaigns that flooded the airways. And kept my phone ringing off the wall. But while the rhetoric was going on, our men kept fighting in Afghanistan. I certainly identify with those men, but especially with their families back at home, waiting...
Those deadly falls (11/04/10)
I saw a friend in Blytheville last Friday night. He had two black eyes and a bump on his forehead. He wasn't wearing a costume, but his black eyes looked Halloweenish. They were more like two dark rainbow circles painted beneath his eyes, much like the markings that football players paint under their eyes before playing in a game...
Those autumn leaves (10/27/10)
I was supposed to be housecleaning. But here I was outdoors burning a big brush pile of dead tree limbs. It was a glorious autumn day, sunny with a cool breeze. This was the perfect day to burn that unsightly dump in my back yard. During a violent storm, a large limb had split from a still-standing towering maple. ...
Those amusing cats (10/21/10)
I don't like cats. Well, that isn't true. I do like cats but I like dogs better. You can talk to a dog and it knows what you're saying. A cat just looks at you and walks away, aloof. A cat will trip you by rubbing against your legs or winding itself between your ankles. Or walking slow motion in front of you...
Clutter just happens (10/14/10)
Clutter just happens. Suddenly your desk is filled with zig zagged papers. All sizes. There are five or six pairs of reading glasses, none of which fit properly. And the desktop, in disarray, resembles the daybed across the room. The daybed is filled with clothes that need hanging, but there are no more hangers and no more room in the closet. The big walk-in closet is filled with those plastic bins that are also stuffed like a Thanksgiving turkey...
How to pack a suitcase (10/07/10)
It is said that when a man packs for a weekend trip, it doesn't take him long to pack. He just grabs his belt and his shaving kit. Not so with a woman. She will spend hours coordinating her outfits. First, she must decide what to wear while enroute, especially if the weather is changeable. Should she wear a short sleeve or long sleeve blouse, take a sweater or jacket, pack a pair of sandals and dress shoes?...
Beware the Trickster! (09/29/10)
Recently I received an email saying that I had won a valuable prize. I believe it was $25,000. I was to contact another person, via email, to finalize arrangements. Then I noticed that the email had come from Nigeria. Nigeria? What would anyone in Nigeria have anything to do with me?...
What money can't buy (09/22/10)
Riches can disappear as though they had the wings of a bird. Therefore, you shouldn't weary yourself or waste your time trying to get rich. No, I didn't say that. That's what it says in The Bible. The late Rev. Adrian Rogers said to look up the scripture in Proverbs 23 and read it, so I did...
Getting old happens (09/15/10)
Getting old happens.. A tell tale sign is those white pill boxes on the kitchen table. There are other indicators. Your new car has more options than you do. Speed bumps are a challenge. So are large print crossword puzzles. If you aren't misplacing the remote, it's the telephone...
Rules are forever (09/08/10)
Often a high school graduate or an 18 year old thinks he or she has come of age. No longer will they be restricted by parental rules. They've been set free of restrictions. Hello? I have news. There are rules from age two to 92. All through life, there are restrictions, rules to be followed. Always, there will be someone to tell you what to do and what not to do...
Where's the biscuits? (09/01/10)
Yesterday I fixed myself a pimento cheese sandwich on toast. The container says the cheese spread was made from imitation cheese. Sometimes when I'm not too lazy, I will make pimento cheese. You know, grate the American cheese, add a jar of diced pimentoes, some grated onion, and mayonnaise. It tastes a lot better than the store bought imitation cheese spread...
The Alpha and Omega (08/25/10)
(Peggy is taking off this week, so we're featuring one of her award-winning columns from several years ago) Is this how it begins, mama? You lie curled in bed, just the top of your head showing from under the piles of blankets. Your hands, posed as in prayer, cup your face against the pillow...
Friday the Thirtheeth (08/18/10)
Last Friday did you observe paraskevidekatriaphobia day? It's also called Friggatriskaidekaphobia. That's another name for irrational fear of Friday the thirteenth. That infamous day occurs once, at most three times a year. However, last year was an exception. There were nine Friday the 13ths in 2009.. Most unusual occurrence due to the way time is marked on the calendar...
Back to school days (08/11/10)
I helped my daughter put her third grade classroom back together this week. Well, I helped two days. She worked more days than that to get ready for the opening of school later this month. It takes a lot of time and hard work to move desks in place, unpack boxes of heavy books, sorting and arranging...
Solar Egg Frying (08/04/10)
It's hot enough to fry an egg on a sidewalk. For sure, it's hot out there. Several summers ago, at high noon, I did try frying an egg outside. I found a piece of discarded metal, laid it on a concrete walkway, and proceeded to fry an egg. I cracked the egg and it slid out onto the metal "skillet."...
My Valued Opinion (07/28/10)
Suddenly I'm a wise old owl. Everybody wants my opinion about the Gulf Oil Spill, and Mel Gibson's alleged abuse of his wife, and whether jail or the sober house would be best for convicted Lindsay Lohan. And a host of other subjects making headlines...
Those Doozie Designs (07/21/10)
I don't know what designers are thinking about but they aren't thinking about me. And a bunch of other golden women. This morning I tried on a pair of cutoff jeans that my friend Dot gave to me. They are that new design that falls below the navel and at the same time exposes about four inches of underpanties...
The Dreaded MRI (07/14/10)
My doctor said I needed an MRI. In doctors terms that means magnetic resonance imaging. The exam is touted as one of the most advanced diagnostic methods available. To me it means climbing into a confined space, much like a coffin. "I can't do an MRI without sedation," I told him. "I'm claustrophobic."...
Moms versus daughters (07/07/10)
My daughter and I are at odds. Ever since I had a bad fall and almost cracked my skull, she's been giving me orders. Do this and don't do that. Last weekend she told me I had to stay home. I couldn't go anywhere. I told her that she's a meany and that all the other daughters let their mothers go out on the weekend...
Finding the bargains (06/30/10)
Have you met Mr. Rollback? His name is Durel or something like that. He's generous in build and has a great smile. He's "saving me so I can live better" he says.. He's Walmart's rollback spokesman who's trying to entice us to buy more at America's greatest retail store...
His Name was Uncle Red (06/28/10)
(Peggy had a slight fall recently, and took the week off. This columnn ran the first week of July in 2004.) It was only after his death the family learned that Uncle Red had been awarded two Bronze Stars for heroic achievement during World War 11. It was a period of his life he didn't talk about. We do know that when he entered the war, his hair was red and bushy, but when he returned home four years later, it was thin and prematurely gray...
The Dog and Catsitter (06/16/10)
A cat's a cat and that's that. I found that out while cat and dogsitting recently. Two dogs and one cat, that aren't allowed in the same room with each other. For good reason. The dogs are given the run of the house, while the cat stays in one bedroom, secluded, unless the cat is outdoors...
Gold Star Wives of America (06/09/10)
Gold Star Wives of America. Is that organization unknown to you? The purpose of the military group is to honor the memory of those who made the supreme sacrifice in the service of our country. I belong to the organization and so do thousands of widows...
What Kids are Made Of (06/02/10)
What are little girls made of? Sugar and spice and all that's nice. And boys? Frogs and snails and puppy dogs' tails. Those words come from a popular nineteenth century nursery rhyme Actually, I haven't heard the nursery rhyme in a long time but many will remember it...
Another senior moment (05/26/10)
Country music comedienne Minnie Pearl always wore a hat with a price tag on it when she performed. Do you know the amount on the price tag? Now that's one of the questions asked in 5,087 Trivia Questions & Answers. On reading that, I asked myself, "Now how in the world should I be expected to remember the answer...
A Way With Words (05/19/10)
I like words. Some people just have a way with words. My in-laws used to use some colloquialisms that I'd never heard. One of them would say her hair felt like a "stump full of granddaddies." My dad would say he was worn to a frazzle. My sister and brothers thought mom had "eyes in the back of her head" because she always seemed to know what they were doing, good or bad...
My concrete birdfeeder (05/12/10)
Outside my kitchen window there's a makeshift birdfeeder. It's actually a piece of concrete that juts out of the ground. It's about eighteen inches high and it's round. For a long time, I didn't know what it was. Because it is shallow in the center like a bowl, I decided to use it as a place to put bird seed. There's a small tree nearby with overhanging limbs, convenient for the birds to land on, then drop down to the feeder...
Honor Your Mother (05/05/10)
From These Hills, By Peggy Johnson
A word aptly spoken (04/29/10)
Last Sunday while attending church services at a distant town, an old friend approached and hugged my neck. She turned to a friend that I was with and began telling her how I had influenced her to "come out of her shell."...
The addictive phone (04/22/10)
We live in a new world. I was convinced of it while I was in McDonald's yesterday afternoon. The place was noisy with two lines of people, waiting their turns at the counter. Children were laughing and running around...
What's in a name? (04/15/10)
We tag names on people that sound cute when they are babies or youngsters, but the names somehow don't fit the person when the person matures. A friend of mine is called Koochie. I've always known her by that name. ...
The flower garden (04/08/10)
Easter heralds the beginning of new life. Trees and flowers are blooming and gardens are being planted. Birds are building nests and the warm sun beats down. For, Lo, the winter is past, The rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth. Song of Solomon 2:11-12...
A reflective mood (04/01/10)
I'm in a reflective mood. My mind has been going back to the time when I was a young wife and mother. Most of that time I was living in Louisiana, then in Indiana. Perhaps the reason I'm being reflective is because my grown daughter recently asked me to write a series of essays about the time when she was a baby and a toddler and beyond...
Finding a pot of gold (03/24/10)
St. Patrick's Day has come and gone. I didn't find a pot of gold, but then I'm not a leprechaun. What would I do with a pot of gold? I'm not talking about the lottery, but a pot of gold. How much would that be? Five hundred dollars? Five thousand? More?...
Relaying for cancer (03/17/10)
Cancer is still an ugly word, but not as ugly as it used to be. Great strides are being made to erase the disease. There are many more cancer survivors who are living to tell their stories. I am one of them...
Losing four pounds (03/10/10)
Trying to get in better shape for health reasons? Or do you want to shed a few pounds because your clothes are straining at the seams? With Spring about to bust out all over, many people feel like they are busting out all over too....
The house invaders (03/04/10)
Ladybugs, ants, flying squirrels, skunks. There seems to be an epidemic in Northeast Arkansas. I'm battling ants. A friend who lives near Pollard says her mobile home is being infested with ladybugs, red and yellow...
Equal rights and women (02/25/10)
I missed out on equal rights for women. When I was first married, then gave birth to my two children, I hadn't heard much about women's rights and equality. I was too busy changing diapers, keeping house, cooking meals, and taking care of my kids from birth until they decided to leave home at about age eighteen. ...
Intrusive commercials (02/17/10)
The other day I threatened to throw a shoe at the television screen. I was trying to watch a romance television movie starring Nick and Julia. The problem was the commercials. Every two or three minutes the movie was interrupted with someone wanting me to order a scooter at little or no cost to me, or some male enhancement product guaranteed to work...
Gifts from the heart (02/10/10)
If you are strapped for money this Valentine's Day, there are frugal, but nice, gifts to give. The traditional gifts are heart-shaped boxes of candy, red roses, and jewelry. But if you are looking for something more personal and less expensive, there are other options for sweethearts...
Widows up in arms (02/03/10)
For 53,000 military widows and widowers, there is an ongoing battle. The widows are fighting the Department of Defense for what they claim is rightfully theirs, but for years has been denied. They are asking the Congress of the United States to right the wrong by enacting legislation...
The overtaxed brain (01/27/10)
The older I get, the more there is to remember. Time was, man had only to remember to put the toilet seat up or down. Now technology has changed that. Many times we don't even have to flush. It's done automatically in bathrooms all over America. Just stand up, and the toilet flushes automatically...
Humorous friends (01/21/10)
Some of my best friends are those who make me laugh. They have a good sense of humor and laugh easily. I've also noticed that most of my friends are younger than I am. I think they keep me young by keeping me in touch with a younger way of thinking. They aren't stodgy and they like to go and do. So I tag along shopping or dining out or running around with them...
Peggy Johnson
From These Hills