[Masthead] Fog ~ 64°F  
Dense Fog Advisory
Saturday, May 18, 2013
My, How Times Have Changed (05/16/13)
Where I come from, there's breakfast, dinner and supper, not lunch and dinner. The dinner meal is at noon and the supper meal is around 6 p.m. or it was until I quit cooking supper. Now it's called eating out or junk food time.. Time brings many changes, not only in the way we label things...
Memories of Mama (05/09/13)
Mothers are so important. I can't imagine what life would have been like without my mother. We called her mama. Mama was always there. When my brothers and sister and I got home from school, she was there waiting. Her life was wrapped around her children. When we were at play in the yard, mama would stand in the doorway and keep a watchful eye...
Hope For Cancer Victims (05/02/13)
Saturday morning there will be many Clay County cancer survivors wearing purple tee shirts that bear the words I AM HOPE. They will be walking in the annual Relay for Life survivor's walk as part of the American Cancer Society's awareness campaign. The event will take place at the Piggott Community Center beginning at 10 a.m...
Searching For Honesty (04/25/13)
I used to be naive. When I was young, I trusted everyone. Then I grew older. I was blindsided by a couple of people I trusted. I think I began to change after that. I became disillusioned. I didn't believe everything that came out of a person's mouth...
Music Soothes the Soul (04/18/13)
It is said that music soothes the soul. I certainly believe that music plays an important role throughout life. As a child, my first recollection of music is hearing my mother sing lullabies as she cradled a sleeping baby. Later I heard her singing as she went about her daily chores. While she swept the floors or cooked a meal, she would be singing some country song popular at the time. She loved Ernest Tubb, the Texas Troubadour, and Roy Acuff songs...
The Quest For Gold (04/11/13)
I'm in the process of reading about the gold rush days in 1849 in California territory. The book is titled Seeds of Hope by Kristiana Gregory.. No, it isn't boring because it is told through the eyes of a fourteen year old girl, Susanna, who keeps a diary of her daily life in a gold mining camp. She has a sister, Clara, who is sixteen...
The Serenity of Birds (04/03/13)
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."...
The Parakeet Rode a Motorcycle (03/28/13)
Once upon a time I had a parakeet that could slam dunk. In his cage there was a tiny plastic Donald Duck that he learned to play with. He just loved that toy. If I removed the toy while cleaning the cage, the parakeet would run up and down his perch, screaming to high heaven until I returned his toy...
Do You Remember When? (03/21/13)
What do children do for fun these days? When I was a little girl I used to play hopscotch with my lfriends, On the concrete sidewalk in front of the house, I would draw the hopscotch with chalk. We used a flat piece of glass for a marker but you could use a bottle top or a stone....
The Man Gene (03/14/13)
Did you ever hear of the man gene? Supposedly it's the gene that causes man to act as he does. It's unlike the woman gene Of course there are anatomical differences. A man has broader shoulders and is usually taller than a woman A man's skull is almost always thicker and stronger than a woman's. In other words, he's thick headed...
Help, I'm Smothering (03/07/13)
I'm smothering in housework. Not that I do it, but it's there, stalking, unattended in every room. I hate to tell you, but I just today stored my Christmas stuff. Oh, I had it boxed but I hadn't taken it to the root cellar where it languishes all year. (Yes, my old house has a root cellar)...
The World is a Rough Room (02/28/13)
Billy Crystal said this week that the world is a rough room. Some days I feel that is true. I think as a person gets older, he begins to face the real world. Illness strikes, infirmities surface and life gets harder. Just last week, a friend had pneumonia and was rushed to the hospital...
Beloved Valentines (02/21/13)
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...
I Love You Emails (02/14/13)
My daughter and I email each other a lot. She lives in a nearby town so we often email our goodnights. We give a capsule message about our activites of the day. Then we end the emails with "I love you." Somewhere along the line the "I love you" message endings became a battle of wits...
How About Some Alligator Stew? (02/07/13)
This isn't to scare anybody but last April I saw a news report that said there were alligators in Kennett, Mo. I know we usually think of alligators a lot further south than that. In fact, I saw several gators while on a guided swamp tour in Mississippi a few years ago...
Views On Television (01/31/13)
On the table next to my recliner are books I am reading or intend to read, also a coaster for my coffee cup, and a TV guide. Those essentials needed when I watch television--too much television. What I needed to resolve in 2013 was to watch less television. There's no need for all that dribble that I tune into...
Not Too Late for Resolutions (01/24/13)
I can't believe 2013 is here. It's time to make and break resolutions. I can't remember the last one I made or if I kept it. It probably had to do with striving to be a better person. I know it's hard to break old habits. Smokers can attest to that...
A Time To Throw Away (01/17/13)
Resolutions are now full steam ahead. I have resolved to read more and discard more. Recently I was reading some familiar passages of scripture in Ecclesiastes 3 that begin: There is a time for everything And a season for every activity under heaven:...
Beginning the New Year with Super Glue (01/10/13)
I started out New Year's Eve by supergluing my fingers together. It took about two days to remove all the glue. I was doing a stupid thing anyway. I knocked one of my Christmas ornaments onto the floor and broke it. It was a shiny stagecoach, expensive for a tree ornament. What broke was a delicate wheel on the stagecoach so I decided to repair it. I gathered the broken pieces and headed for my Super Glue, alias Krazy Glue...
New Year's Reflections (01/03/13)
I'm thinking of a little third grader. When asked what she wanted for Christmas, she said she wanted snow. She just wanted snow. No amount of coaxing could get her to name anything else. "I just want snow for Christmas," she would repeat. Well, she must be happy now...
Waiting for a Miracle (12/27/12)
"In seven seconds, share this message with seven people and you will receive a miracle tomorrow." Anyone who has a personal computer will likely receive messages like the above one. There are promises being made everyday with directions to forward a certain email to others, usually seven, 10 or 12 people. If you do, then good things are bound to come to you., the email says...
How About a Hen House? (12/19/12)
Have you narrowed your Christmas buying list down to those who are difficult to buy for; those who have everything? I have some last minute ideas for you. The ideas come right out of the Neiman Marcus 2012 holiday catalog. First off, the items are pricey, opulent even...
Christmas Is Almost Here (12/13/12)
Each year beginning right after Thanksgiving, I get nervous about Christmas. My girlfriend, Gay, has already bought her Christmas gifts and has them wrapped by mid December. Not me. I'm the sort of person who worries all month long because I don't know what to buy. Every year it's the same old story...
Cursive or Computer? (12/05/12)
Will cursive writing go the way of the dodo bird? Is it going to be a lost art or an outmoded way of communication? It looks that way. Cursive writing is slowly losing ground in elementary school curricula as technology invades the classroom. It is no longer high priority in many schools. There's now keyboarding, spellcheck, texting and emails...
A New Way of Eating (11/29/12)
Seems like everywhere you turn, there's a plan for losing weight. This week I have received over a dozen unsolicitated emails telling me to log onto sites that will tell me how well-known stars have lost weight and how I can too. I don't know how they got my email address but it is bugging me, to no end...
Counting Our Beatitudes (11/21/12)
It's time to count our beatitudes. Each Thanksgiving we pause, remembering our blessings. Yes, we could focus on the bad things, on the fiscal cliff, on high unemployment, on home foreclosures or Hurricane Sandy which has devastated homes and businesses, leaving people without power or heat in freezing temperatures...
A Message to God (11/15/12)
Are you listening, God? I've been talking to you for several days now. I need you to listen. I'm stressed and I need your help. I need you to hold my hand. I'm not like your servant Job. I don't have his patience. I'm a worrier and I know you don't like that...
It's All Over But the Shouting (11/08/12)
Hallelujah, the election is over. I was beginning to feel like little four year old Abigael Evans from Fort Collins, Colo. She was on Youtube one week ago sobbing that she was "tired of 'Bronco Bama' and Mitt Romney." Tears ran down her cheeks as she cried after listening to an NPR segment on the election...
Our Disposable Society (11/01/12)
We live in a throw-a-way society. Once upon a time my husband would take screwdriver in hand and fix a broken toaster or a lawn mower that quit mowing. Or sundry other broken things, like a window fan or a leaky faucet or a weedeater. He did the same thing with our television sets and our vehicles. ...
Housecleaning Tips (10/24/12)
I've been planning on cleaning house since January 2012. That's the first step; the planning. One must take inventory to assess what needs to be done, should be done, and in what order. Take this morning, for example. I poured my second cup of coffee, propped my feet, then started assessing, notebook in hand...
It's All in the Bag (10/18/12)
I recently saw a segment on television about handbags, the good and the bad. But what impressed me was the size and weight of those purses that women carry around, sometimes for hours at a time. So I decide to weigh my own purse to see how much extra baggage I've been toting...
Too old to cut the mustard (10/11/12)
You've heard the song or expression "too old to cut the mustard." "I used to could jump just like a deer, now I need a new landing gear "I used to could jump a picket fence but now I'm lucky if I jump an inch." That's a way of saying "you're over the hill;" not a spring chicken...
Those senior moments (09/27/12)
t is gratifying to know that other people are in the boat with me. That is, memory wise. I was in a big rush to get out of the house this week when I realized I needed to wear my eyeglasses. I have two pair that are never in the right place. The right place being where and when I need them. Sometimes I leave a pair on a bathroom sink. Sometimes I leave them on the dresser. Other times I leave them on my makeup table or on the coffee table in the living room or by my bedside table...
Looks can be deceiving (09/20/12)
Last week I bought a package of Oreo cookies. I couldn't help notice that the cookies have shrunk. Yes, they have the same good taste, but they aren't nearly as big as they once were. Remember the advertisements that showed the grandfather and grandson dipping an Oreo into a glass of milk...
The addictive cell phone (09/13/12)
I was eating a burger in Hardees in Paragould last Tuesday when a young couple came in. They placed their order then took a seat to wait for the order. Both of them took out a cellular phone and started talking or texting. That's what they did during the whole meal. I never saw any kind of communication between the two of them...
Old timey sayings (09/06/12)
I like sayings, especially old timey ones. Growing up in Southeast Missouri, I heard many sayings that have been handed down through the ages. One my mother-in-law was famous for saying was, "My head feels like a stump full of granddaddies." By that, she meant her hair badly needed washing...
What mama didn't say (08/30/12)
Mothers are full of advice. From the time we are born, our mothers direct, guide, and teach the rules of life. My mother told me to wear clean underwear in case I was in a wreck. I usually walked wherever I was going, but then, someone in a vehicle might have struck me down...
Life's twists and turns (08/23/12)
Life takes many unexpected turns and twists. We travel along, the road is straight and smooth. Then we suddenly hit a bump or a big boulder. We didn't see it coming and we may not know how to handle it. Some of those twists leave us shaking in our boots...
My, how time flies (08/16/12)
Time is not the same for youngsters and older people. It goes slowly when you're young and speeds up as you get older. Think back to the time you were traveling with a youngster. "Are we there yet?" the child asks persistently. For him, time drags before he reaches the destination, whether it be McDonald's or cross country...
A sense of humor (08/09/12)
I like a person with a sense of humor. A study finds that a "sense of humor" is the quality most attractive to women. I agree. On Thursday I made a phone call and dialed a wrong number. I asked if I was speaking to Walmart. The (business) man who answered said, "No, but we have a greeter."...
Snow White and the Prince (08/02/12)
When I was little I always enjoyed the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. I never tired of it. So this week, I borrowed the storybook from my daughter, the school teacher. This morning I read the Disney storybook which varies somewhat to the story I used to read...
Stay in the lines (07/26/12)
When we were little children learning to color, our parents would tell us to "stay in the lines." We were to color in certain areas, not to color outside the lines of the figures in the coloring book. That took some time and practice to master. Yes, it was supposed to be fun but there were other reasons for staying in the line...
Clutter just happens (07/19/12)
Clutter just happens. Suddenly your desk is filled with zig zagged papers of all sizes. There are five or six pair 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...
Aging can be funny (07/12/12)
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."...
Freedom isn't free (07/09/12)
I certainly agree that freedom is not free. As a military wife for 21 years, I saw a lot and learned a lot during those years of being associated with military life. As a new recruit, my husband was soon assigned as a gunner on a B-29 during the Korean War...
Drinking water and such (06/28/12)
Summer is officially here. So that brings the subject to water. We need to drink a lot of it, experts say. I've read that drinking water at a certain time maximizes its effectiveness on the body. And that there is a correct time to drink water. We should drink two glasses of water after waking up. That helps activate internal organs...
A tribute to dad (06/21/12)
My dad wasn't the demonstrative kind. He didn't take his kids on his lap and hug them. Neither did he tell them he loved them. Yet he did. But he did chase them around the dining room table and tickle the one unlucky enough to get caught. "Say uncle," he would say, until the caught one cried uncle...
My don't do bucket list (06/11/12)
Did you read in the news where an 80-year old woman skydived for the first time and it turned into a near tragedy? When her parachute popped, it almost jerked the chute off her shoulders and she was left dangling, barely able to hold on. Her tandem partner saved her by holding onto her until they made a landing. It was a scary thing to watch on YouTube as she was bent double as she spiraled to the ground...
My commercial chocolate cake (05/31/12)
I had this sugar free chocolate cake mix I wanted to bake. I just had a taste for it last Tuesday afternoon. But I was watching a tv movie starring one of my favorite actresses, Sandra Bullock, and I didn't want to stop and bake the cake. So I decided to bake the cake during commercials. I had recently read that if you need to exercise, you could do so during television commercials. Just get up and walk around...
Traits of a best friend (05/11/12)
If you have a best friend, you are truly blessed. Over the years I've had several best friends. One from high school who later married and moved away, Then a couple of military wives that I bonded with after we were stationed at the same military bases for several years...
From These Hills (05/03/12)
I just returned from Branson where I attended the Springtime Jubilee. I was able to hitch a ride with a busload of travelers from Central Baptist Church in Jonesboro. The Jubilee featured speakers Johnny Hunt and Jim Hill. Gospel music and singing was by Ben and Allison Speer, Gold City, Squire Parsons, the McKameys and my favorite, the Gaither Vocal Band. Dennis Swanberg, comedian, also entertained...
Spring is busting (04/05/12)
Spring seemed to spring on us all at once. Lately we've had beautiful warm 80-degree weather, sunshine. Yards are green, growing and lawn mowers are pressed into action. Teachers are getting their students ready for Benchmark testing. Other students are thinking about the upcoming senior proms and graduation...
A world of scents (03/22/12)
Nothing smells natural anymore. Almost every household product contains an added scent or fragrance. I realized that this week when I was spraying a room deodorizer in my bathroom. The scent was French vanilla, but I could have bought any number of scents, ranging from lemon to lilac to lavender...
Outside the box (03/15/12)
Are you in a rut? Are you boxed in, unable to think outside the box. The box is what you know; the familiar. To think outside the box is to move beyond everyday patterns of thinking, to try something innovative, original. How can you think outside the box?...
Where did Mary go? (03/12/12)
While visiting my daughter's third grade classroom last week, I was introduced to her students. I noticed there were no Billys or Bobbys or Marys or Peggys or Judys or Bettys. None of those classic names of old. Also, I visited Ms. Julie's classroom across the hall. None of her students had those classic names either...
Is that all there is? (03/01/12)
Over forty years ago singer Peggy Lee recorded a song during the big band era. It was titled "Is That All There Is?" It was a pensive melancholy refrain about life. The lyrics tell about when she was a small child and watched her house burn down. Her daddy held her in his arms as they watched the fire...
White House animals (02/24/12)
I watched the televised Westminster Dog Show last week and I enjoyed the competitions. Later it got me to thinking about dogs and other animals that gained recognition because they lived in the White House. Presently the White House First Dog is Bo, a male Portuguese water dog. Bo is mostly black in color with white boots -- a striking dog. Bo is often photographed on the White House lawn or inside the White House with President Obama or First Lady Michelle...
The Valentine skunk (02/09/12)
Once upon a time, for Valentine's Day, my friend Shirley got a skunk. No, not a stuffed one. A real live one. It was found in the barn in a cage on Valentine's Day. The cage was left there by her husband, who was trying to catch a bandit raccoon, not a skunk...
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...
Peggy Johnson
From These Hills