Just for the fun of it.  We can take this trip together.

Tags: Humor

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I listen to people on the news being interviewed.  I heard someone ask a religious leader why God would permit this virus.  Then I think back.  God did not put Daniel in the lion's den... man did.  God delivered him out.  Even those who go on in another plane are delivered out.  We are given free will.  The blame game is just another way to frighten people and to create intolerance.  Don't get sucked into it.  We are winning this.  Stay the course.  Common sense and faith will defeat this virus.  We need more of both at this point.  Stay safe.

Tags: Blame Game

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It makes no difference what your religious beliefs are. Whom ever you thank when circumstances require a miracle or when a miracle has been witnessed. Your miracle maker is the one you think of when you say, Oh My God.

I recently wrote about how busy I have been since our nation went on lock down. The phone calls asking if I am all right. The phone calls for my help with frightened children. I had a story telling hot line going. I would start a story and then leave it up to the family to complete with the story game. Then I would tell another family a different one. I had them exchanging stories. Each member of the family could add to the story for 3 minutes before it went to the next member. Once everyone had completed their contribution the story was recorded and given to another family. I have been extremely busy since Easter.

We had a very bad storm that went through the area and our power was knocked out for quite sometime. Since I have become accustom to this happening I was not worried. I had flashlights, my cell phone, food, etc. I was able to help everyone who came by with what ever it was they needed. Just so ya' know... no one asked for toilet paper.

I was able to hand out some food from my full freezer and suggested they have a neighborhood cookout. Each family that had outside grills could cook something. Then one neighbor had a flat bed trailer. Each family put their contribution on the trailer. The trailer went from house to house. No one came within six feet of anyone else. One or two people from each house came out and add to the trailer and took away what they needed at the same time. This went on until dark. By then most of the food was gone and everyone was once again inside their homes. There is still plenty of food in my freezer for me. I had gotten in on a huge sale just before all this started. I still think that God puts chicken on sale at Walmart exactly when I am going to need it. I have never once gone over budget sharing my food with anyone. No one has every said they did not eat chicken.

Now, I was answering my phone and telling stories for several days. Power was eventually restored to everyone. Yet, people kept coming by to check on me. I felt very glad I had so many wonderful neighbors and friends who cared about me.

Then late yesterday I got a very loud rapping at my front door. I do not have a door bell and those who know me know they have to crack the door open and yell. If the doors are open to the kitchen or the living room the dogs could instantly appear. They won't hurt anyone but they could get out. Since I live on a major highway that is not a good thing. The door knocking meant this is someone whom I do not know. So, I cracked my door open. Precious my 100 pound pit bull was doing her “I am doing to eat you alive” dance. Then I realized it was a tiny little woman. I instantly told Precious to go to her room, (my bedroom), and she left. I opened the door a little wider. She said her son would be glad to help me with the tree that fell on my fence. I asked if he would charge me for it? She said no, but he would be glad to take care of cutting it and hauling it away. She wanted to know if the dogs would bite. I assured her they would not. Then I also said that Precious always answers the door that way. I went on to say she was a very good watch dog. She will watch you do anything you want.

Now, I thanked the woman. I closed the door and went on about my business. I actually forgot about what she had said. The up and down again with the electricity made it necessary for me to just be patient. I have started and stopped several projects until we finally got the notice from the electric company that all lines had been restored.

Then I remembered what the woman had said. Something about a tree falling on my fence. I looked out of my bedroom window. OMG, it is a huge tree that had been pulled out of the ground and could have fallen in two places. It could have come down hitting my house in the only room where I was most of the time. The tree is huge it would have crushed my little frame house. Instead it fell the other way and hit the fence. I looked at this monstrosity that was laying across the next lot not six feet from my bedroom window. It made a mess of my fence but not enough so the dogs can get out, but it could have killed me for sure if it had hit the house. As it was I was safe, my fur babies were safe, and I was totally unaware I have been entertaining angels.

I started crying when I realized I owed someone a big Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. I had no idea how well my miracle maker was taking care of me. We are all in the arms of something that is far greater than ourselves. We are all part of something that is greater than the whole. I am humbled by those who do so much who do not expect or receive the thanks they deserve. I bow my head in humility and say, Thank you.

Tags: Neighbors Home Gratitude

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When my grandmother retired she became a full time baby sitter for me. She had sold girdles door to door after divorcing her first husband for infidelity. Back in her day divorce was rare and divorcees were sometimes shunned. Finding work as a divorcee was hard.  She retired from that to manage her own flower shop in the lobby of a large downtown hotel. When I arrived, she became my babysitter.

I knew she chatted on the phone with friends, but she also did a lot of going shopping or out to lunch. I got to tag along. We got to listen to the retirement lives of all the women who were also retired. Each one had retired from a different occupation. Some,besides being retired, had taken up gardening, some knitting, some writing, some baby sitting, like my grandmother. Still others traveled and some did nothing at all except complain. I did not understand the concept of retirement at the time. I decided I liked it because it allowed me to spend time with my grandmother. I also decided the idea of retirement was different for everyone.

My mother and her sister were two other women I got to watch retire from their occupations. My aunt had worked for a large manufacturing company that made electronic equipment, even some of the first home computers. There was a huge party thrown to honor her when she retired. She had been with the company over 50 years.

I remember the following Saturday when my mother and I went to my aunt's house. She said to my mom,"You plan, you know it is coming and then all of a sudden, you are retired. The party is over and you don't have to get up, if you don't want to. She went on, "It is an odd feeling to not be a supervisor or not to be needed. I don't know what I am going to do. I have re-read every book in my library. "Now, I am going to figure out what to do next."

For several weeks my aunt bought books every weekend. She was an avid reader. She and my mom would trade back and forth. One Saturday when we went to see her, she announced she was going to open a day care. She did too. She did all the things required by the state and the government to get her credentials. She ran the wonderful little day care in her home for the next four years. Usually there was no clients there on the weekends so we still got to visit. She seemed very happy to be "working" through her retirement.

My mother decided to retire four years later. She too had a big party as she too had been with her employer for 50 years of a large retail chain. The day my mother retired, my aunt closed her day care center. Then they started traveling. I never knew where they were going to go next. It seemed like they were preparing to take a trip or trying to decide where to go next.

I remember one trip they took to San Francisco. My cousin, a year younger than me; lived with her mother, and would always accompany them on their adventures. Rina was very good at taking care of "the girls" as we called them. My mother was always the navigator and my aunt was always the driver when they rented a car. They had decided to take the trip by bus, a tour bus, with several more seniors. They got separated from "the group" during their walk around the antique shops. They had gone in one door of a shop and come out of it by another door. Yes, they got turned around. Suddenly, they were on their own. Several hours past as they kept trying to find "the group".

My mother, the drama queen, suddenly stopped dead in her tracks, squealed bloody murder, "It's got me, I can't move, there is a snake around my legs. Help, someone, Help me." The anguish in her voice was nothing to the two fists wrapped around a walking stick, clinched arms, squeezed shut eyes and tears rolling down her well made up face. Everyone within earshot turned around and started laughing. She was so shocked by the roar of laughter, her mouth snapped shut and the fear she was spewing out stopped. Everyone was looking at her. She quickly checked to make sure both her false eyelashes were still on, then she followed the eyes of everyone watching her. She looked down. Her pantie hose had fallen and held her ankles tightly together. Before she could stop it a sudden gust of wind blew her skirt. She thrust her hands and arms down the front but not before mooning everyone watching. One arm instantly had gone down her backside as she tried to hold everything down but the scene was instantly funny and just enough to allow everyone a quick flash of flesh. She was horrified and could not turn away because of the pantie-hose. Her face turned beet red. My aunt came to her rescue as she approached my mother. She put her arm around my mother to help hide her face. My cousin had hurried over to her as well. My mom and her sister worked behind Rina to get the hose up before the next breeze. My mother, the very prude Sunday school teacher, then in all her dignity, (and Grandmother ringing in her head, 'Always a lady') bowed to the crowd and said, "The show is over, this stripper is now officially retired." The girls had found "the group". They had all watched the show.

The threesome had taken several cruises and several road trips together. Their stories were wonderful. I got to hear about each adventure from three points of view; my mom's, her sister's, and my cousin. Somewhere in between I feel I got the whole story. All three were always ladies as their mother, my grandmother, had taught them to be. Rina was also partially raised by my roommate, grandmother.

When it got to the point “the girls” decided not to travel any more. Instead they were each going to sell their homes and use the proceeds to build their own homes, next door to one another in a small farming community where Rina's big brother lived with his three children. Luke was the contractor for both homes as they were being built. My mother sold her home in Dallas and my aunt sold her home in Garland. Moving day came. It took everyone to move these two ladies to their new homes. My husband and I came. My sister, her husband and two boys came. My cousin Rina and of course her big brother Luke, his wife and three kids came to help.

My cousin and I spent a lot of time playing referee once these two retired ladies lived next door to one another instead of across two busy towns. Half the time they would catch one another without one of them having their hearing aids in so we were always putting out the fires from, 'what they thought, she said', type arguments.

The outings and funny stories of the three continued for almost a year. Then my husband past away and I came to live with my mother. I came with several dogs, a couple of goats, several cats, and one baby pot bellied pig, named Hamlet. It was not long before my aunt put her seamstress skills to work creating costumes for my 7 pound addition of one guaranteed delight. He had a trainer and was getting ready to do several commercials for a national food company. He also had a talent agent. It was during this time that I found another piglet, named Idabell. The trainer worked with them and the rest of our fur friends and the two piglets started performing wedding ceremonies for several hundred miles around East Texas. They performed for nursing homes and senior centers throughout the area. They became wedding planners and Hamlet's clothes designers until my aunt passed away. My mother passed away in 2007 and had spent many a fun afternoon showing Hamlet off to everyone.

About a year later I had become disabled while at work and had to go on disability. I took an early retirement. I sold our home and moved to the lake. By the time I got to the lake Hamlet and Idabell were gone and several of the older dogs had also passed away. I had one cat left, Ashley. My life of solitude began officially in 2009. Then on March 11, 2015 I died. While I was in the hospital I went from being on disability to being on social security and Medicare. That was different for me for sure. I had gone from being a very busy person to doing nothing. I became very depressed and the less I did the less I could do. Then a neighbor sent some volunteers to see me. The daily visits for four days each week became something I looked forward to and I was finally convinced to move closer to people. I sold my lake property and bought a home in this tiny town.

I got to know the Chief of Police here after about a week in town due to my dog having to be put down. The chief had brought me a new dog named Precious. My cat, Ashley had brought me a baby squirrel, I named Oscar. Ashley passed away from old age and left me the task of teaching Oscar how to be a squirrel.

The chief stopped by one day to ask for my help for a family who were new in town. My retirement changed that night from Occupation:Retired to Occupation:Volunteer.

Now you would think I would get some time to relax after my work. Why?“You are retired,right? You have the time. Will you volunteer?” What do you think saying “No.” Sounds like?I don't know I never tried it..

You are retired and have the time. Volunteering brings you an education and many rewards. You are retired and have the time to put a little music in your heart. You are retired and have all the time you need to ruin your reputation or put it back together again.

You really think the national “stay at home” order changes when you are retired and everyone knows you have the time?

Since the "stay at home" orders started I have done my duty and stayed home. I am old, I have no face mask, I am dangerous.... Yes, I am retired... I have the time. Don't worry, that is what email is for. Yes, I am retired... I have the time.. Don't worry.. I wasn't doing anything.. That is what phones are for. Yes, I am retired, yes I am fast running out of time. There is no way I can answer all the mail, email, phones calls and “Hay, Jane... “You okay?”” calls across the yard. I can't go get my mail without a yelling contest from my neighbors. Everyone wants to go get the groceries I already order, paid for and were delivered a week ago. No one wants to come near me... but the volunteering continues.

You are retired.. do you mind telling one of your stories to the kids. They are all want us to ask you for one of your beginnings to one of the magic stories. I started each one out with a new beginning and make them promise to write it down or record it. Then I give them the number of one of the others who have also called me for the same thing. It is my story exchange program. It has caught on all over town. The kids are home, driving everyone crazy, no school. “What do I do if Billy..?” I was a volunteer substitute teacher for three days. I got on the phone and called some of the teachers at the school to let them know what was happening. They were thrilled. They had told everyone who called I would not mind. She is retired.. she has the time. I can't argue with them on that one.

Three generations of retirement. My grandmother's retirement changed upon my arrival. My mother and her sister's retirement changed more than once. Mine is still evolving from one volunteering assignment to the next. What ever you do, you have the time to do it and then change it as many times as you want. Retirement is indeed a journey and not a destination.

Tags: Retirement Travel Volunteering

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We are having World War III. It has landed in 157 countries. An invisible enemy to the entire world.

Yet... everyone is talking about when this is all over. We know we will win. We know everyday the sun comes up that might be the day when the we produce the cure and put it to work.  We are pulling together ... all over the world.  I think it was time to put aside our differences and pull together for the sack of humanity but it took a little bug to do it.

 You know every night when we kiss our children and put them to bed ... that the sun will come up again and we will win this battle.  All of humanity is fighting for survival but what is really being generated is our "human"anity.

We are no longer acting like animals, practicing intolerance for anyone who does not believe as we do. We are all helping each other survive. All the powerful weapons we all have here could destroy the world ten times over. A tiny bug has waged war on the entire world.

Our prayers go to the world and all of God's children. "Patience must have her perfect work." Be patient with your neighbor, your family members, and yourself. Being respectful of others will win the day and save the world. We may be told to 'Go Home' but we are not alone. The entire world is in the same war.

Our common enemy is the fear of not having. Not having enough of this or that.  Not enough power, medicine, supplies are just part of the problem.  Not enough courage, kindness, or tolerance is the other side of the same coin.  Love of our neighbor is also needed. Gratitude is the most powerful of all prayers.  It prepares us to receive more blessings.

Hold fast to your faith... what ever that is. Our power is in our humanity for ourselves and for others. Check on those who might be vulnerable. Don't hoard supplies. We focus on home now.. where our heart is. We... none of us... doubt we will eventually win. This will all end and our lives will return to a new normal, a new type of world peace. The history books may not call this World War III but it is. We will win. Take care in your hearts.. the petals of hope will slowly unfold the beauty that is mankind in all it's glory.

Tags: Life Home Hope

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I was recently reminded of a time when an old hobby could bring new blessings.  I used to collect all sorts of things when I was a kid. Barbie dolls, baseball cards, miniature anything, etc.  My mom boxed up all that stuff years ago and stuck it in the attic.  I had long since forgotten about it.  When I decided to sell my big house and move into a smaller one, (not a task for the faint of heart), I came across several boxes.  I did not take the time to go through them, instead I just added them to the "items going to the new house" stacks.  I moved into my new home in 2009.  That tells you just how important I thought these things were.  I really believe it was God's way of forcing me to save something.

Anyway, I am usually a pretty happy person.  I believe that a thankful person is a happy person.  If I get depressed or even if I'm in pain, I start thinking and listing all the things I am thankful for.  I do this until the blues or the pain lessens.  I found myself facing a financial wall I could not get around, see through, or even climb over.  I started my little "Thankful" routine.  It did not seem to help.  I finally realized I was going to lose my home so I decided to go out to my storage shed and start getting rid of stuff.  I was facing being homeless so the things I was going to take with me would have to fit into a grocery cart.  I started going through the boxes.  I found so many things that sent me down memory lane I forget the time.  I was still out in the shed at 10PM.

My neighbor came by to check on me.  They knew I never go out after dark and they saw the light on in the shed.  When they came in, I was sitting in the middle of the floor playing with a train set.  I had Barbie dolls watching and miniatures on top of the cars like passengers.  I was having the time of my life.  We all laughed.  My neighbor started looking at all my "toys".  Long story short.  I was able to sell those toys for enough to pay off my house, buy a new car, and put aside a nice emergency fund for myself.  I even sold my vinyl records.  I am thankful for my neighbor and for a mom who never threw anything out.

During this time when we are all home bound... do some spring cleaning.  Make it an adventure for the kids.  Pull out things you forgot about... relive them.  It might help smooth any financial strife right now.  God Bless.

Tags: Home Life Blessings

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Let me start out this blog by saying I am so glad to be inside where no one can offer to help me.  Yes, re read the last sentence.. That is what I said to myself one day.. just last week.  I spent an entire hour trying not to get help.

It all started when I went out to get my mail.  My house fronts out to a major highway and is across the street from a rest stop for truck drivers.  Huge rigs park while the drivers rest or sleep.  I went out my front door and headed across the yard to the mailbox which was situated on the edge of the street.  I stepped into the street to reach the box ... just as I started to snatch my mail from the box ... someone... a 6' skinny drink of water with a baseball cap on sideways and pants that looked like they were going to fall off any minute... grabbed my arm.  "Let me help you, Lady."  He must have been about 13 or 14.  I tried to tell him I was ok and did not need help.  "You don't have to be proud.  I help my grandmother all the time.  Come on... I'll get you across the street."  He was so determined to help me across the street I decided he needed to help me more than I needed help.  So, we crossed the street.  I thanked him for his kindness and waited for him to disappear down the block.

Once the coast was clear I started across the street.  I did not want to go all the way to the  corner and cross at the light (one block away) I wanted to cross in front of my house.  I was about to dart across the four lane highway I had just come across when the police pulled up and gave me a lecture about jay walking.  The young girl officer was very polite and insisted on helping me to the corner and watched as I crossed the street.  Between the end of the block and my house are 3 driveways.  One leads to a motel behind my house, one a truck repair shop, and another is a side street.  Yes, you are right... I got help with each crossing.

A trucker staying at the motel stopped dead in front of me on the drive and insisted on helping me cross the drive.  A man out walking his dog insisted I let him help me cross the next driveway to get past all the truck repair traffic.

You are not going to believe it.  Just as I was crossing my own driveway into my own yard that same "kid" yelled from across the street.  "You stay right there, I will help you."

I waved my hands in the air, I danced a little jig, and shouted "I am doing just fine, but thank you anyway."  It was a race to see if I could get to my front steps before he could get to me.  It was a tie.  I gave him a grandmotherly hug and said, "You want to help me?  Please, go over there and bring me my mail."  He was so delighted.  He sprang to his task as if I had just crowned him king.  He got my mail and brought it to me.  I thank him for all his help.

I sat on the front porch for a minute as he disappeared again around the corner.  Then I looked everywhere before getting up and darting into the house.

I peeked out the window... No one was rushing to help me... Thank Goodness.  It had taken me over an hour to get my mail... ten feet from the front porch.

I had all the help I could stand for one day.  Everyone of my helpers wished me a happy valentines day.  I think back in the day when I was young and my walk would excite my husband and bring out the romance in him.  Now... everyone wants to help me.  Yes, I am an odd duck.  I quack when it is funny, I waddle just a bit, and I love being on the water.  I just got a call from the Chief of Police about me dancing in my front yard... 

He wanted me to be careful.  Said if I need help ... just give him a call.  Yikes!  Not again.

Tags: Aging Home Life Humor

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Someone asked me the other day what I liked the most about retirement. I answered that now I have time to learn anything I want to learn. I can even learn to speak another language if I want. Then I was reminded of the last time I tried that.

Have you ever done something that proved without a doubt that you were just a bit crazy. You never told anyone because you were afraid they might mistake crazy with really dumb. Well, like I said many times before. I was not the sharpest crayon in the box, but, according to my grandmother, I was the most colorful. Age did not change that. You would think I would stop doing these things... but if I did you would not know it was me.

When I was a young teacher when ever I wanted to make extra money I would work a second job at night and on the weekends. One of those jobs was working for a company in the fur business. They made a whole line of fur products from coats to sweaters. They sold every thing from mink to rabbit. Back in those days it was okay to wear fur in public without fear of someone dumping paint on you. It was a big business. This company had several leased outlets in one national department stores. I worked in the fur department.. selling fur coats, etc. I had gone through training in the fur industry to learn as much as I could. I actually worked for the fur company and not the department store.

The store where I worked got a lot of international trade. The first night I worked with a young girl from El Salvado. We became fast friends. I asked her to help me with my Spanish. I knew there was a big convention coming up soon and I wanted to be ready.

I wanted to learn enough Spanish to be able to help, answer questions, and sell a coat to someone from Mexico. We had a lot of dipolmates from Mexico City that were going to be there for the convention. I had patted myself on the back for doing this.

I worked and worked with her for several weeks. I had gotten to the point I could describe almost every coat we had, in Spanish. I knew the convention would be starting the following week so I was ready... just in time.

I practiced at home. I practiced on the way to my day job. I practiced on my lunch break. I practiced all the way home. I was ready.

The first night of the convention started with a style show at the store. I knew we would be getting some traffic through the department.

The department was in a small enclosed corner of the store. All along four walls merchandise hung. We had several round racks in the middle of the room. There was a small table just between two doors. One door led to dressing rooms where the custom fitting took place and the other door led to the vault and stock room.

I was sitting at the table when a wonderful family came in chatting back and forth to each other. I instantly started to speak Spanish to them. I showed them several coats. I smiled and kept going. I did not see the confussed looks on their faces. I went on and on and on... My friend was in the back room. I finally realized I must not have answered the questions or did not say it right. I was so sure my Spanish was right.

I decided I would ask my friend for help. I went into the back room and she was holding her side she was laughing so hard. I looked at her so funny. I left the door open and went back to my customer.

I tried to say, in Spanish, my friend can help you she knows more Spanish than I do. The father of the family was just exhausted trying to get through to me. "Does anyone here speak English?" Yes, that is what he said. I looked back at my friend who was still laughing. She said... Jane, they are from Egypt. They have been trying to tell you they do not speak Spanish. I looked again at the customer and said, "I speak English."

The man grinned from ear to ear. He introduced himself as the an Egyption diplomat who had been visiting the Mexican convention on a trade deal with Egypt. He went on to explain he understood very little Spanish but had given his interrupter the night off because they were going to be shopping and knew how to speak English. We all had a laugh.

I do not mind laughing at myself. I learned to do it often. I enjoyed the memory and hope it helps the next time you do something that is not so smart afterall. Don't be afraid to tell about your mistakes. Mistakes can teach us a great deal. Especially, if we all we learn is to laugh at ourselves.

Tags: Learning Retirement

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Tags: Animals Pets Retirement

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