Its Coming! Its Coming!

     I can't believe it.  Its finally Almost Here.  I've waited Aaaaalllll year.  Now, I can finally say its almost here.  This is my absolute favorite time of the year.  Tomorrow we will begin to decorate for the wonderful event that the whooooole world will help me celebrate.

     Don't you just love this time of year?  Everyone seems so friendly and kind.  Pretty lights are everywhere.  People think Snow, no matter if they are at the equator.  Okay, okay.  Maybe no one else does really, but I do and as long as I am thinking snow, well, I just know that everyone else is helping me to think it.  After all, doesn't everyone want snow for Christmas?  Surely, Christmas can't come without snow, can it?

     When I was about 14 years old, we took a trip from South Carolina to Florida and then, Maine.  I don't recall where we were on any of the other days, but I remember that we were in Florida on Christmas day and Maine on New Year's Day.  In Florida it was hot and humid and I was not impressed.  Of course, at 14, I'm sure that I didn't think I was supposed to be impressed by anything.

     We stayed at a Holiday Inn and there was a pool.  My little brother, 3 years younger than I, were very close.  That is, until he broke the cardinal rule.  On Christmas day, he had the audacity to go swimming.  Swimming!  What was he thinking?  Christmas is not for swimming.  Christmas is for snow skiing and sledding, snowmen and forts.  I was crushed!  Betrayed by my own partner in crime.  By afternoon, I managed to work my way through my little attitude, thanks to the continuing heat and discomfort, and joined him for a nice cool dip in the pool.  And naturally, we are still very close.

     Isn't it funny, some of the ideas we grasp onto?  Do you ever wonder where some of them come from?  It seems there are superstitions and wild-hairs about everything; black cats, ladders, salt, spiders and the list goes on.  Do you have memories of unique ideas that caused you to change the ways you've done things?

The tortured child

      Grown-ups always like to say things to confuse kids.  Have you ever noticed that?
     “If you think you’re going to get away with this, young lady, you’ve got another think coming!"

     “Another think coming” - - - just what do adults mean by that?  Grown-ups always say things like that. Like, “Behave yourself.” Did you ever wonder about that one? I mean, it’s so hard to concentrate on anything else she's saying because I’m still working on "Behave yourself."  And I'm being as 'Have' as I know how to be. (Please note the long 'A' on that word)
     I just hate it when grown-ups think up all these confusing phrases. Everybody knows they only do that to confuse kids. It works, too.  I'm still pondering the cruelty of the phrase, "Behave yourself."

     What kinds of things did the adults in your life use to make your life miserable?  I'm just really anxious to learn if Behave was a word created just for torture purposes or if it really has a purpose.

Today, I cried

     I haven't been blogging for very long, perhaps two or three months, once I actually understood a little of how to find my way around.  I enjoy it so much and I now understand the emotion that so many others express.  You see, I did not expect to care.  I thought that blogging was a world of anonymity.  A one-on-one relationship with my computer.

     Not too long ago, I met someone who was taken to the depths of despair by a loss that I have come too close to experiencing in my own life.  Twice.  When my new bloggie friend shared her own experiences, her description was such that I. Was. There.  I felt every emotion she felt.  The tree she leaned on also left marks on the side of my face as my tears joined hers in silent, heart-wrenching sobs.

     Though I have not met this lady in person and I have only known her for a very short time through Bloglandia, she is now in my heart to stay.  Are there things you were surprised by in becoming a blogger?  What experiences have you had?
   

A Baby's First Thanksgiving

     It was my first son's first Thanksgiving and we wanted it to be special.  He was only five months old and couldn't possibly remember anything about it, but we really wanted to make it something we could tell him about as he grew.  How could we make this Thanksgiving Day memorable for him?

     Then, it happened.  We got word that we would be moving and we had all of one day to get 'er done.  The landlord didn't want us to leave, but something about living in a mouse-infested trailer house just failed to make me wanna' stay.  Go figure, huh?  When we got the word that we had another option, we jumped on it.

     So, on Thanksgiving Day, we woke up early and stayed up late.  We hadn't learned of the mice until too late in our previous dwelling.  (I was never quite able to think of that place as home.)  This time, we had made sure there were no extra occupants and we were SO. READY. to. go.

     Finally, at 11:45 that night, we sat down to my baby's first Thanksgiving Dinner, one which he was also able to participate in, in spite of nursing.  I can say with all honesty that, after living for two months with the pitter-patter of little mouse feet, it was one of the best meals of Oyster Stew I have ever made.  And I no longer had to worry that something would capture one of us while we slept.

     Oh, and did I mention that we managed to make it a memorable day?

Fun in the sun, sand or sink... or, wherever you like to write

     Do you write?  I mean, are you a writer of, say, children's stories?  Or, maybe you like to write romance?  Are you a Cruciverbalist?  Perhaps there's a hidden Harry Potter in your heart?

      Well, I like to do it all.  Don't hold me back!  If it can be written, I'm a' gonna' try it.  Oh, wait!  I take that back.  When it comes to scary, I can get pretty creative in how many ways there are to hide out.  Blood and guts?  Nope!  Don't want any part of it.  And the 'S_ x' word?  Well, ya' know.

      But give me a good Golden Book to read and I'm off!  Look out, Pooh!  I'm gonna' read you.  Junie B. Jones?  You bet your sweet bones!  And of course, I try to read all the new ones that I can;  Bubble Homes and Fish Farts, Don't Let the Pigeon... (whatever the pigeon is trying to do at the time), Crocodaddy, Janoose the Goose and sooooooo many others.

     Now, here's the big question; how fast can you think?  I was just made aware of a really cooooool challenge and if you are into writing picture books , you might like to head on over there, too.  Its called PiBoIdMo.  Now, you understand completely, don't you?  hahahahaha.

     It means Picture Book Idea Month and Tara Lazar has come up with the greatest idea for those who aspire to writing picture books.  Come up with a new idea every day in the month of November.  I can't explain it all here, but if you head on over there, you can check it out.  Then, think fast.  Think really, really fast 'cause the end of the month is just a blink and a puff away.

     So, HURRY, already!

We Danced ~ ~ ~

     Every once in awhile, something happens that says, "You are still on the right path."  Last night, my good hubby-buddy had his moment to remind him that continuous effort is still the best way to achieve continuous success.

     Years ago, I was working many hours every day and night, as was my good husband and doing all we could to still spend time with our children and know the happiness that comes from love in the home.  At one point, my hubby decided to enter a Chilli Cook-Off.  He enjoys cooking and it was his hope to take one of the three winning ribbons.

      His preparations were extensive and we were all excited about the coming event.  I don't recall what the prize was; something small, I believe.  A theater ticket or a ribbon.  It wasn't the prize that inspired him, anyway.  He wanted to show our children that they could do anything they set their minds to do.

 

     The big day arrived and all was ready.  I left the house to collect the papers at the newspaper office so I could deliver them for the kids to sell and deliver to various offices.  They had built up quite a large number of repeat customers.

     But this day was different.  Instead of collecting the papers when I arrived at the office, I was informed that one of my sons had been hit by a car and I was to go directly to the hospital.  I cannot describe how devastating it was to watch my son suffer from so many broken bones and hooked up to wires and tubes.

     Needless to say, the Chilli Cook-Off was forgotten and we were flown with our son to a bigger hospital several hundred miles away.  Fortunately, our son recovered and I can honestly say I believe in miracles.

 

    My good husband is such a nice person.  When we moved into our new home, he sent me right to my new office and said, "Write.  You have supported me all the years we've been married.  Now, its your turn to do what you want, so Write!"

 

     And that is all I do... Write, all day or all night long.  My hubby-buddy takes care of everything.  Well, we recently heard that our new town would be hosting a Chilli Cook-Off, so my good hubby decided to enter. He was so excited to finally be getting another chance.

 

     And now, I am proud to announce that last night, my wonderful husband was declared the Winner.  I knew he was a great cook and now, others know it, too.  Today, we took the extra chilli to Church and enjoyed visiting with friends while sharing my hubby's Award-Winning Chilli.  Tonight, we celebrated in our own way when, in our kitchen... We Danced.

Gramma' carried a BIG pistol

     When my gramma' was just a girl, she learned to use a gun with apparent accuracy and... NO FEAR.  I've often wondered what was behind her learning such a skill and wished I could have talked her into telling me more of what her life was like before she was my gramma'.

     For all of her size ~ ~ ~ she was 4'11'' tall, or there abouts, she was the kind of person that people didn't mess with.  For starters, she always carried a BIG pistol.  To fire that pistol, she would throw her left arm up for support and balance the pistol across that arm.  The joke was that the pistol was bigger than she was, even when she was an adult.

     I recall hearing of one incident when someone thought he was gonna' hurt someone my gramma' cared about.  That was one thing.  Once you found your way into Gramma's heart, Outsiders did not have the option of saying or doing anything that Gramma' perceived as ugly.
     Anyway, this outsider thought that he was gonna' hurt someone whom my gramma' cared about.  When she threw that pistol over her arm for balance, he laughed and said she didn't have the nerve to pull the trigger.  In fact, he said that just before she pulled the trigger and shot a hole in his shirt, so close that he felt the air whistle by as the bullet whizzed through.  See, that was another thing that my gramma' didn't take kindly to; a dare.

     Do you know some of the colorful stories from your family's past?  I do hope you write them down so they won't be forgotten.  Its a shame to realize how many memorable incidents have been forgotten because no one wrote them down.

Heeeeeeeellllppp!!!

     Can you help me?  I don't know why, but my friends have all disappeared... on both my blogs; this one you are reading and this one.  Where it says, "Friends," everyone is gone.  Have I been deserted?  (heheh. No, I don't mean like in Apple Pie and ice cream... silly you).     I just feel so all alone.  No friendly faces to look at.  No reminder that there are some people who think I have worth.  In short, I seem to have lost alllll my friends.  Can you help me find them?  I have looked under the rug.  I looked in the closet.  I even looked behind the refrigerator, but no friends, anywhere.

Please help me figure out where all my friends got off to.  And for anything you can do to help... thank you.

Do you know where your Cruciverbalist is?

I don't know if you've ever heard the word, Cruciverbalist, but I heard it from Paul Harvey.  Remember Paul Harvey?  "Hello, Americans.  This is Paul Harvey.  Stand by for Nnneeeews!"
Well, one day Paul was sharing on one of his Rest of the Story programs and I was surprised to discover that it directly related to me.  In fact, I was further amazed to learn that I was in company with a whole variety of personalities.  Some of those people included actors/actresses, pharmacists, housekeepers, doctors, tailors, plumbers, fishermen and even children.
Further, my new knowledge even allowed that I had a title, something I had not been aware of, even though I had been practicing my craft for years.  Now, if you have guessed that my title is Cruciverbalist, you are entirely correct.  But does knowing my title help you to know what I do?  No?  Well, basically, I break words into pieces and create games out of them.  In other words, I make word games that other people play and, hopefully, enjoy.
Do you like to do crosswords or word search puzzles?  Those are only two of the types of puzzles that I create.  There are many different kinds of word puzzles and I like to dabble in a variety of them.
If you do crossword puzzles, have you ever considered what kind of person might have made that puzzle?  Next time you lift your pencil to solve a crossword or other word puzzle, think about who may have created that game.  And by the way, do you know what your neighbor does in his/her spare time?  Think about it.  You just may be surprised.

Amy Allgeyer Cook - The Invisible Sister

Come one! Come all! Our friend, Amy, is sharing with the world. You can win an Invisible Sister Spell Card and a $20 gift card for Amazon.com.
Now, I ask you... could you ask for more? Here's the link:  http://lux-st-clare.blogspot.com/2009/11/veterans-day-giveaway-update.html

So, will I see you over there? Its a great place to rendezvous.

Ground-Floor Howdy

Don't you just love it when someone says you can get in on the ground-floor of a new venture?  NOT!!!  Usually, that seems to mean Hurry and empty your pockets 'cause I'm afraid you might change your mind.

Turtleface

Well, you will be pleased to know that I am not after your money.  Unless, of course... wait!  No, no no.  Whew!  I'll bet you're happy to hear that, aren't you?  Nope!  In fact, I would just like to give you the opportunity to get in on the ground floor in welcoming one of our own into the neighborhood.  Turtleface just moved in and has written all of two posts.  Quite interesting, actually. 

How about headin' on over there and giving him a great BIG WELCOME by following his blog and maybe leaving a comment?  Let's show 'im just how happy we are to have a brand-new neighbor and maybe take 'im some Tea and Crumpets.  Thanks.  I'm sure you'll join with me in making him feel welcome.

By the way, I know what tea is, but does anyone have any idea what a Crumpet is?

Have you ever heard of my gramma'?

You've gotta' see this video!
Yesterday, I mentioned that I have been doing genealogy for 39 years. That would mistakenly indicate that I know something about how to research. I don't. However, I do have a great desire to find any information about my family that might be available.

This is where you come in. Have you ever heard of my gramma'? Before she passed away, she told me that her birth name was Mary Cecile Orealee Thompson. She went by the name Orealee and was born about 19 April 1897, possibly in Mississippi. She married Will Mock in about 1915. They would eventually have four children.
My gramma' remarried twice more or perhaps even three times, after hard times left her a widow with small children.
My gramma' Orealee has been very elusive and I would love to find where she has hidden all of her records. If you know anything of this fine lady, will you please share with me? She was one of the greatest treasures in my life and I would like for my posterity to know her. Can you help? Anything you can offer will be appreciated more than you can possibly know and I thank you.

The heroes that used to be

Do you do genealogy? I've been doing genealogy for about eleventy-forty-seven years and over the years I've developed quite a deep admiration for those brave souls who laid the groundwork for my comfortable life.  No, as far as I am aware, none of my direct ancestors invented anything of note or created something to ease life's pains. But you know, they were the ones who cut a path through life's fields so I could come along later and drive my little go-cart or whatever.

My good hubby-buddy's family have tales aplenty of members who traveled by wagon or lived in soddies.  He even tells the story that some of his family members were the first into Salem, Massachusetts... and among the first to leave when they began burning some of their neighbors as witches. Quite an interesting legacy, if you ask me.

My stories are much closer, as I only recall the tales told by people I actually knew personally. Things like the night my little gramma' shot the ghost and how my mama and her sister chased the burglar away with their purses. Does this make my ancestors' lives as pioneers less important? Absolutely not! Without their input, I might just now be building my own little soddie. I'm sure thankful for those who have struggled to make my life easier.

Do you know stories of your ancestors? I'd like to suggest that you help keep those stories alive for your posterity by writing about them in a tablet or some other convenience of modern-day life. Or even, write some of your own experiences. Your children and grandchildren will be very grateful if you do.

Jane Lively, Jane Lively, Won't you come home?

I love it when I have visitors. So much so, in fact, that I hang their pictures on my wall and tell the world that they were here.  See? Look over here.  How 'bout this one?  See? I have pictures hung everywhere. It makes me feel good to know that you come and see me and we can chat. That's what brings me to what I'd like to talk about, today.

It seems I have had a visitor and I have no way of saying hello.  Do you know this nice lady?  I would love to have a chance to get to know her, but I cannot find her.  If you know her, would you please mention that I would like to say, "Howdy-do?"

Jane, if you will give me a link, I'll be sure that anyone visiting Yaya's Changing World or Red Wagon Flights will have a shortcut to find your home on the web.  Thank you so much for visiting and becoming a follower. I look forward to seeing you again.

Update:  We have found Jane Lively! What a thrill it was to be able to sit and have hot cocoa and cookies with her. Jane, I am so glad you came back to see me. Won't all of you join me for snacks, now? The cocoa is always hot and the cookies are always fresh out of the oven. (My virtual chef is quite good at cookies, particularly).

$75 Prize!!!

If you're looking for the Blog Giveaway, click here.

Movie Mania

How often do you go to the movies? If you're like me, that would be about once every few years or so. However, I still get to see movies that I love. When I want to see something that I enjoy, I simply take from my group of comfort shows and settle down for an evening of popcorn and tears or laughter, depending on what I choose.
I can find a movie pretty quickly, now. It wasn't always this way. I used to wonder where that special movie was that I wanted to watch. After too much searching, I would finally choose something else because the one I wanted was lost in the heap, so to speak. Then, I got smart and created a very workable system.
For starters, I figured out how many kinds of movies were used in my home. There are some that I enjoy and some for the kids. Of course, we have movies that are my husband's particular favorites, too. Once I had established some ground rules, I was able to move forward with a plan.
Using a combination of colors and codes, I separated the movies according to where they were most watched. It was decided that we had five separations for our movies. You may choose to have more or fewer. Our distinguishing factors were: Daddy's, Mama's, Kid's, Church and Cartoons.
Next, I assigned each group a color. I listed all of the movies in alphabetical order so I could easily find any movie I was looking for. This will take some time, but when you are done, it is easy to add or take away according to how you buy or give away some of your stock.
After listing all the movies, I created a color-code at the top of the page, like this:

D=Daddy  M=Mama  K=Kids  R=Religious  C=Cartoons

Now, all you have to do is go through your list and color each movie to match the person whose shelf the movie is stored on. All of our DVD's are close together, but we no longer have any problems with kids sorting through all the shows that Daddy likes to watch so they can find a cartoon. They know just which shelf holds the cartoons.

When you are finished, your list will look something like this:

150 Cartoon Classics = C

Adventures In Babysitting = M

Ant Bully, The = K

Bambi = K

Battlestar Galactica = D

Beauty and the Beast = K

Cold Mountain = D
Daffy Duck = C

Love Comes Softly = R

Gods Must Be Crazy = M

Since developing this system, we have been able to find any movie we wanted within a couple of minutes. If you feel that you want to keep all of the DVD's together, you can eliminate the color-coding, altogether. Simply alphabetize.

I hope this system will help you find what you're looking for, too.

$75 Prize!!!

That's right; there's a $75 prize being given away and you have a chance to win it.  All you have to do is head on over to here and have fun reading. Once you read one of the posts on this cute blog, you'll want to see more of what she has to say. Be sure to become a follower and leave a comment on the post that is titled 'BLOG GIVEAWAY... $75 e-GIFT CERTIFICATE TO AMAZON.COM.' There you have it. Do those two things and you can win the $75 prize.
I can't leave without telling you about a couple of PJ's posts that you will absolutely want to see. One is YOU WRITE THE CAPTION! It is soooo adorable that you will be inspired to join in. Here's another of her posts that you simply must read: How To Get Through Life. And if you want to see an example of how to write so you pull your readers in and make them cry, click here. I promise you will not be disappointed.

So as soon as you are done reading here, hurry on over to PJ's site and make a new friend. She is definitely a friend worth having. Remember to become a follower and make a comment in the post where she is giving away $75.