An uneventful day and a tune

As I was cleaning the kitchen, I heard a familiar tune coming from the television by way of the living room. A tune that made me stop for a moment and reminded me of my grandmother. She had just gotten out of the hospital and still not feeling well and while she was reading the morning paper, she started reading out loud.

Oh my, she said, I can't believe he has died. He was my favorite actor and I just loved him and his voice was dreamy.   To hear my grandmother say dreamy made me turn around from the sink  and say in a oh my goodness, can't believe you just said something like that voice--- "Grandmaw, really?" She looked up from the paper and said, "I was young once" and I would have followed him anywhere but of course later on found out he was gay, but you know, I think I could have changed him.. Now my face turned really red and my voice a little louder screech, saying to my granny that she shouldn't be saying things like that at her age. 

She looked back at me, with a look only a grandmother could give and went back to reading the paper and I turned my attention back to the sink and listened to her read about his death and how he was leaving everything to his long time lover of soo many years and she stopped and said, such a shame, he was a good looking man, just loved him".  I told her I didn't know he was gay and said that he was alright looking for someone older.

Before my grandmother passed a few of his new shows would come and we would sit and you could not say one word or you were banished from the room until the show went off.  Anyone that knows/knew my grandmother knew she was direct and no nonsensical woman. She said what she said and if one didn't like it, she would tell you what she thought and go on. 

That tune, today, I don't know why it got me thinking of my grandmother but it did. Got me to smile and thinking of the day she read about his death and how sad she looked and remembering back to some of his old shows/movies. She seemed childlike that day even through her sickness and her pain, she had a great memory and shared her thoughts with her grand daughter.  How I would love that special time in space to return. I would understand NOW and engage in a much different way other than how I thought my granny had totally lost all scruples and saying such things.

That tune, that tune is the start of Perry Mason. Raymond Burr was a handsome man and great actor.. Since my grandmother's passing, I have loved watching his show and try not to miss an episode.  It's funny how something that was seemingly uneventful on a day of chores brings back a sweet memory on an uneventful day of chores.

Thanks-------

My humiliating story and finding humility on the other side

Years ago, I met a young man at a grocery store, he was stocking and I was shopping. It was a Sunday. We ran into one another while hanging out with friends at the local Thunder Birds. (Boy does this bring back some memories).  We began talking and  hanging out but I liked one of his other friends instead of him and I dodged him, frequently, but he never stopped. I was still quite shy so I never let it known to our mutual friend that I liked him and he ended up dating another girl, no biggie, I still had plenty of beaus (get your minds out of the gutter, I was still a good girl) that I could hang with.

This guy and his friends became great friends of mine and we spent more time on the dance floor than sitting in our chairs. We had some great times but I still didn't give this guy a chance, he called me all the time  on the phone for hours and every Wednesday-Saturday, he would drive all the way from college to see me. Great gesture, right? But, I didn't care - we weren't dating, just friends as I saw it and I could dance and do as I pleased.


Years go by and I still would not give this guy a chance after all the times he spent talking to me, dancing, hanging out and being there when I had problems with other guys. He was such a great friend. One day, he and one of our mutual friends had moved across from my friends apartment. We all started hanging out at the pool and playing Frisbee and I was in one of my moods and mad at a guy  and he said something to me and I looked up at him and stated well we all know what you guys want don't we and he got a serious look about him and stood up and stated , "really? after 5 years, you think that is all I want? if that was true, I would have left a long time ago with how you have treated me" and he just walked off.   I went over to his friend and asked what was his problem and they came out and told me, you dummy he loves you.. All he ever talks about is you. You give him nothing but a crumb and he keeps coming back. We keep telling him that even though we are all friends, she doesn't care as you do. Find another they told him..  

A few months had passed and  I had not seen him out much, until one night while out with other friends, his friends come in and I ask where he was and they stated he was getting married the next day and I stopped dancing and pulled the friend off the floor and he stated to me that he was getting married and I flew off the handle stating  sure he loves me, he is getting married to someone he barely knows.. then our friend looks at me and said ..  Bobbie, he loves you but he knows how much you can and have hurt him and this girl loves him, so what do you want him to do?  Feeling pretty low by that time, I said "you are right, he deserves  love." 


Forward about 20 years, I thought about this guy and how much he cared and did for me when we were younger and the tears flowed down my face thinking how terrible was I to do that to someone. Someone that cared and showed me every time, every day and yet I gave nothing.  How sad and ashamed.  A few days later the shame I had felt compelled me to try and talk to him, whether or not he would talk to me, I needed to tell him how sorry I was being young, dumb and stupid, I found his number and got the nerve to dial the phone, the phone rang and it was his wife that answered,  I asked if he were there and told her that I was an old friend. He came to the phone and I said that it has been  a long time and from time to time I thought about him and how he didn't deserve what I did or said and for that moment in time he was the best person for me and I didn't see it. He was glad to  hear from me and never once did he get angry nor say you are right,  he just asked how I was doing and if I had children and that we had great times and talked about our friends and how they were doing and our kids. It was great to finally hear from him to know that he was doing really well.   I told him that it was great to hear from him and hung up the phone. 

This story is a story of humility....  How could this guy after what I had done and said to him give me the time of day......... I was truly humbled by his response and his caring that it changed a big part of me that day. One has to learn to grow and I learned through my fears of my past didn't define me as 40 something I had become. This person(man) was bigger than I was and he never became bitter nor resentful, he stated that my rejection gave him a new life and 2 great sons and helped him grow as well. 

Mind your words and how you treat another while you are young, because one day when you are feeling there is no one in the world that cares, you might need an old friend to put things in perspective. Thank God for giving me the time I had with this great guy, I owned up to the humiliation and came out the other end being humbled by his friendship. 

Thank you----


 

HOW TO TIGHTEN LOOSE/SAGGY SKIN AFTER WEIGHT LOSS?

How to tighten the skin after weight loss?

Good question. There are many things you can do to help put that skin back on track depending on what/how you want to do.

You can go to a physician which can cost a few hundred to thousands.


There are lots of ways you can do naturally, if , if you are willing to have patience and be persistent.

Massage, good ole, massage can also help with that sagging skin/cellulite and also a good one to try is sea salt body scrubs. With sea salt scrubs you don't have to run out and pay for one, you can do it right in the comfort of your own home. There are lotions you can do as well. 

I will post webpages you can choose from that can help along with some exercises and stretches. But don't get discouraged, keep on a sensible regimen and you will find yourself back to your old self or NEW self.  Be advised these sites may repeat themselves, but give them a try and if any health issues please consult your physicians. Drink lots of water.

http://www.healthyandnaturalworld.com/ways-to-tighten-skin-after-weight-loss/
http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/health-fitness/healthy-eating/how-to-tighten-loose-skin-after-weight-loss
http://www.livestrong.com/article/239454-how-to-naturally-tighten-skin-after-weight-loss/
https://legionathletics.com/loose-skin-weight-loss/
http://www.top10homeremedies.com/home-remedies/home-remedies-sagging-skin.html
http://www.livestrong.com/article/426580-exercises-to-tighten-your-body-after-weight-loss/
Ihttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFs8m3U44kI

WELL SHE DID IT AGAIN

🎕On Sunday, beautiful day for Mother's Day; although a bit chilly earlier in the day, it became very pleasant soon enough.

I had asked for Mother's Day,  new plants to go outside in the flower garden. We picked up some beautiful flowers and hope that my black thumb, like my mom, is turning that good shade of green.  I looked like I knew what I was doing anyways.   I had taken my new garden barrow out, my hoe, shovel and potting soil and proceeded down the hill to collect some plants that I had planted last year and bring them around to the side of the fence where I was going plant the new ones.   Why, I thought it was a great day to plant during that time of day, no idea, but I did anyway. Digging them holes in this red dirt on this land that used to be a rock quarry for the railroad, not easy. But, I finally got them in the ground and grabbed  the water hose to spray my pretty little plants and give them a good bath. 

Well you know I have the knack of doing and getting into things that I should pay attention to, well this time no different . I had put the hose down to grab another handful of potting soil and I stepped back and felt water going up my body, what does this one do...........  Of course, look up to see where the water was coming from only to find that I had stepped on the spray nozzle and it was giving me a bath, ground up. YOU know that is not the whole of the story, instead of taking my foot off the nozzle, I, yes, I grabbed for the hose. It had taken a minute to realize what I had done and politely took my size 8 off that nozzle, wet as a drenched cat, walked calmly up the hill with my barrow in tow hoping  no one saw my little scene.

All I do is shake my head and just smile...  What are you gonna do?  Some days it's just too fun living in my head.   :) 

Thanks------

Find your history

This story goes back over 40 years. My grandmother wanted to know our history and started with a few others, delving into our forefathers. Who are we? Where did we come from? 

Many days at the Lee County Library and many nights of writing letters to perspective relatives, she went all in to this unknown journey.  She had asked me if I wanted to go and help, but what does a young 18-20 year old say; Uh-Noo why do I want to know about the past? Famous last words to a now 50 something, that is dying to know the history of our families.

My grandmother's journey and her extensive research found that we are related to Princess Diana, the Black Prince of England, Pocahontas, a famous Pirate and Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand and also could be related to Edgar Allan Poe amongst others. Well, now this was cool to find out but still, I was not that interested in finding much less helping my dear, tired grandmother unearthing our families history. Long nights and days she had spent and now this was long before any computer or cell phone. Phone calls and letters up the ying yang, trying to find the answers. She had loads of notebooks filled with research and loaned them out frequently. 

By the time she had gotten sick and could not remember to whom she loaned them to, they were gone. After her death, mom had came over to the house and we happened to talk about grandma and her research and she, my mother, asked me if we could find our history..  Now, this happened the year, when computers were coming into homes. I said yes, I can do what I can and see where it leads. I worked for a while, as much as the WWW would or could take me back then and came up with very little and I would report back to my mother and keep going when I found the time; being a mother of 3 and going to school and working 2 jobs was taking up quite a lot of time.

I have picked it up time and again over the years with my mother's side of the family, after her death in 1999 and then as my dad laid dying, he asked if I could find out about his side of the family and I started working on it. Calling family members and writing to them by email has been tedious and a long process that it is very frustrating to tell you that I am only as far as my great grandfather, William A Hankins, bless him, I am struggling to find the answers to this question, Who are We?...   I know we are part Native American, but during my research I found that not only on my Hankins side but the Green side as well, both Green's are native American.  And now it seems that my mother's side her, father, maybe part native American as well.  Great findings, if, if I can find the link to the chain. 

Finding your history is something that shows you not only who you are and where you came from but it also tells you stories, stories of those left behind that give you a sense of feeling that you had gotten hold of something written by a family member over 100 years ago. The news may not always be good but still, it shows you how the years of days gone by was for those living in that period of time.

If you ever wonder who, where and why you are here, check out your history. You may find as I have the 1st President of these United States and the 1st King of Scotland and an Indian Princess may be in your blood as well. 

Go, Seek, Find, Tell your past which can become your children's future. 

Thanks,

 

International Women's Day

Today is a day for all women as well as the month of March.  International Women's Day.


A day to celebrate women of all creeds, shapes and sizes.  We women, throughout, have played an important part in history.  Most of us with that female instinct are cook, chief and bottle washer at their homes. We are doctors, nurses, planners, directors, maids, taxi drivers, and everything thing else thrown at us during the day.  We never get paid - well monetarily - but our payment is far more rewarding.

Women throughout history have made a significant contribution to our world.  whether it be a ruler of a kingdom, scientist, faith healer, warrior, artist or just mom and wife. We all make a difference, everyday. Everyday each of us gets up and not only take care of the family but the house and the pocketbook but we also have outside jobs that we do everyday and when that day ends our clocks do not; we collect the children, make dinner, help out with homework, clean house, and get every one safe and snug in their beds. We are never praised or hardly ever, it's what we do for those we love and love to do. We, women, can move mountains and would fight to the death for those issues/persons that matter most to us.


So, today I salute to all Women all around the world that made a difference to this world.




Thanks,

 

One Blue Shoe, One Black Shoe

One Blue Shoe, One Black Shoe

One morning, after hardly any sleep from my almost 2 year old daughter, she loved getting up in the middle of the night and want to play with mommy;  I drag myself out of bed. Still half asleep and feeling as if I had been on an all night binge and feeling like crap on a cracker, I rub my blurry eyes, which by the way did not help and made my way to the kitchen for a hot cup of coffee before getting up my toddler for daycare.

Well, that didn't help. Coffee? Call this coffee? More like sedation, wanted to go crawl back into my bed and pull the covers over my head and sleep. No, I said to myself time to get moving and have to open up this morning at McRae's.

I take a nice hot shower which hardly helped at all and dragged myself into my daughters bedroom to give her a bath and of course she has bright eyes and a great big smile.. OOOO I wanted to pinch this little precious babies, head off.. As mom's and dad's usually say to themselves and rarely out loud. Hey, it makes you feel a bit better and then you come to your senses..  After her bath, I had taken her to the kitchen for her breakfast and then I ran into the bedroom to grab her clothes and for me to get dressed and throw on makeup. 

Going to be late, I said to myself and rushed to brush my hair and teeth as well as my child's, grabbed her shoes to put on in the car and went into my closet and did not turn on the light, found two matching shoes and out the door I ran with daughter in tow.

Made it to the daycare on time and barely made it to work, clocked in, turned on my register and started my day at work.  We had a promotion of fashion watches during that week and it had been half way through my morning shift when I went out to the table and noticed that I needed to add more on the display, reached down underneath the table to pull out the watches when what do you know, I noticed?  I had one blue shoe and one black shoe...  Oh my goodness!!  Are you kidding me?  It felt as if I had my bloomers tucked inside my pantyhose, that noticeable and yet not one single person mentioned it to me.  Couldn't go home to change my shoes, so I just sucked it up and had to laugh at myself and went on my day as if nothing was wrong; although I stood behind my counter as much as possible so others could not see. 

From then on I made sure on the night before work, I pulled my "matching" shoes out of the closet to put on the next day.  Lesson learned. 

Thank you,

One