Those 70ish Girls

I was feeling a little overwhelmed today and something that one of my teachers told me came to mind. I wish I remembered which one. Wouldn’t he or she be impressed that I remembered it all these years later? If I had remembered it 40 years earlier, it might have made a difference. Oh, well. We all do our best with what we’ve got right?

This is how my thinking went today.

1. I need to make a list of things I need to do, then prioritize them.
2. I need to check on a friend who’s been sick.
3. I need to sort out my water tower collection. There are some I need to ask people to help me identify.
4. I need to get back to the Connie stories before everyone, including me forgets what was happening.
5. I need to quit staying up so late. I also need to quit eating so much junk, and I need to make my walking and yoga a bigger priority.
6. I need to call Gus, Bill, Heidi, Heather, Mason, Craig, and so on..
7. I need to write a thank you note to Liz for the birthday gift she sent me a couple of months ago, which reminds me, I need to get a Gift for Heidi today! Her birthday was 2/21, but we’re meeting her family for breakfast after Church tomorrow to celebrate.
8. Heather’s birthday was 7/8. I text her husband for her work address the day before her birthday so I could send her flowers. He didn’t see it until the day after her birthday, so I never did get around to sending her anything. I need to stop doing that.
9. I need to stop procrastinating so much. I need to quit being such a worry wart.

Okay that’s about enough. I could go on forever, but I don’t need to.

One of my teachers was talking to me about my homework, or practicing my saxophone, or something along those lines, and I was sitting there saying. “I know. I need to spend more time studying, or practicing. I need to spend less time running around with my friends, and eat fewer Bings, (I really didn’t have a need to quit the Bings.)

My teacher said, “Mary, if you need to do all those things, you need to remove the word need from your vocabulary.”

“What?” I asked. “I don’t get what you’re saying.”

The teacher said, “I’m saying, if you need to do or not do these things, then replace I need with, I am. say I am practicing, or I am studying, but don’t say I am going to. You can’t say I am, unless you are. When you’ve done it say I did it.”

The teacher made a good point. Mom used to quote Coach Riley, who was with the Lakers. Mom called him Riles. He said, “If you shoulda and you coulda, then you woulda.”

I think I’ve got it!

I am dusting off some water towers.

Juana Cupa Wata?

San Juan Batista, California…submitted by Lav aka Valerie Halla

 Lav sent me this one all the way from San Juan Batista, California where she lives. She says it’s right in her neighborhood. The descriptive words she used are: plain, tan, tank. There is no lettering. Well, that baby is big enough to keep the 1700 residents in water with no problem. At least there shouldn’t be a problem with low flying planes. Thanks for your contribution Lav.

Edit

De Plane! De Plane!

Burelson, TX…submitted by Laura Avant.

Wouldn’t you know it. The very next water tower I come to represents the perils water towers are often exposed to. This is an air traffic controller’s nightmare. You can see the smoke curling along the front. That airplane must have really come close to becoming water logged. Maybe Juana Cupa Wata has the right idea. I’ll put this one in the “Towers with an element of danger” category.

Somewhere in Nebraska…submitted by Eddie Jackson

At last a break from augua! This tower is probably full of coffee. I wonder if there’s a dairy farm close by. That would really top this tower off as being the cream of the crop. I don’t have the location written down where I can find it, but I’m sure Eddie will fill us in on this oasis in the desert of water.

The Juice

Located at Sunkist Growers, Inc., Ontario, CA…submitted by Gus Gustafson.

 My kids call this photographer of towers, Grandpa Gus and I am so pleased to showcase his fabulous entry. I would guess this tower is full of orange juice, which is a much welcomed deviation from the water, and coffee our other entrants boast being full of. You have to admire the moxie of this one. He’s saying you just try to “squeeze” me out. It won’t happen. Must be the vitamin C. Thanks Gus..Great picture. (Sunkist ceased operations of their facility in 2007, so look for this one to be classified as an antique soon.)

*******************************************

I am.. and then I did.. buy Heidi a birthday present. Do you think she’ll like it?

It doesn’t hold water. It holds your cookbook up, and keeps the page you’re on while you follow a recipe. Kip said she probably won’t use it because she’s a “pinch of this and a handful of that” kind of cook. I got her something else too, but I really liked this cookbook holder.

Lastly, I saw something when I was shopping today that made me think of you Pat Penticoff Bechard. I don’t know how I ever lived without one of these. (Pat said she got her first pomegranate at Sanderson’s Store.)

 This poem was written in honor of Pete Swinson, who passed away at the age of 100. The photographs are by Dianna Kenobbie Diehm.

 

 What do you say on a dying day?

I will think of you and pray?

I am here if you need me?

 I’ll bring a casserole or three?

 Do you need for us to know?

You need time to let him go

 We look at you and see your loss

And know why Christ died on that cross. 

 

Your Heavenly Father

 Does not want you to despair

There is no cross for us to bear 

Your Dad might say

 “I love you girls. Don’t be upset

 I am just beyond the sunset.”

  

“And though I yearn for those above

I will never forget your love”

******

  

A loved one lingers if they can

So you can take them by the hand

and say goodbye…

 

 

I didn’t think anyone would notice if I skipped posting for a day or two. I have been working on editing and formatting a story I wrote about Easter. I’m going to make it available in paperback on Amazon. I’m probably too late for this year, but I’ve started the process, so I will finish it.

My 2nd father Gus, called and said, “It’s been days since you’ve written anything on your blog! What is wrong? “

I don’t like to call Gus my stepfather. As much as I loved my Dad, he was only in my life for 29 years. Gus married Mom when I was 20 years old. More importantly, Bill and I have been so thankful to have him in our lives. He was and is our Angel. He took care of our Mom for 38 years, and he is a genuinely good man.

I wrote this poem a while back and it has nothing to do with the aforementioned. It’s about owning your own mistakes.

Next week, I will catch up on the Connie stories and the Water Towers…

The Blame Game

Does your cell phone cause you strife?
Mine really wants to run my life
It pushes me to desperation
I have no time for preparation
When a call upsets me some
I react with something dumb

I type my feelings fast and furious
Knowing the sendee will be curious
Wait! I want to keep this friend
It’s too late, I just pushed send

Back to my life, who can I blame?
All  my reasons sound real lame
Give me a sec, I’ll think of another
Can I blame it on my Mother?
Yes of course she’s the one
Who made it look like so much fun
Ahh.. but she was such a pro
My reactions are much too slow

Dad must be the reason why
I lash out and sometimes cry
No..when he saw me throw a fit
He told me to get over it

I can’t give up all pretence
While I still have one defense
Times are different now I say
It’s hard to rise above the fray
Your thoughts weren’t so electronic
Agitations weren’t so chronic
Bartenders listened again and again
As long as you didn’t say.. “when.”

**********
I guess you think I’m ungrateful
And my voice sounds really hateful
It’s not my fault, it’s just you
Who can’t see what others do
No help will come from those I love
No healing words from up above

There’s nothing I can do today
Nothing more for me to say.
Nothing makes my troubles vanish
They even sound weak in Spanish
One thought.. gives me pause..
Have I figured out the cause?

I haven’t wasted all your time

                     

while I assessed the crime

It was my cell phone’s fault you see
It could never have been me

You are not going to believe this. I didn’t write a post today. No Connie story, no Brick House tale, no Murdo reminiscing, no poem, no rap, nothing about Fay, or Jerome. I didn’t make apple chips or Fern’s chocolate cake. I didn’t record myself singing. (Lucky for you.) I didn’t dig for old school papers, or tell other people’s stories.

Here is what happened. I had to have some work done on my house. Yes..the joys of homeownership! I had to do it though, because if left undone, this house would one day fall down around us.

Do you believe me? It is the truth. A lot of work needed to be completed. I have been dreading this day for over a year…and if you’ve ever experienced home improvements, you know how it is. If you make one room look great, then all the other rooms look shabby, so once you start, there really is no end to it.

Here’s what I did. I cleaned it…and I had to do it by myself, because Kip selfishly went to help a friend put a new sink in their kitchen. It’s funny isn’t it how selfish and selfless have a lot of the same letters in them, but are vastly different in meaning. A friend (Dianna), sent me something today that made me realize what a good Queen I am.

*And they shouldn’t be made to clean anything but their Crown!

I haven’t had to yet, but I would. Usually it just takes a little hot glue. I don’t know if it’s a Queen thing or not, but I even wear my crown when I clean, and sometimes accidents happen.

When I was feeling tired and haggard today, I started thinking about all of you and how much you mean to me. You have all come to know me so well. It’s impossible not to I guess when I write 1000 words a day about everything I know and some things I don’t know.

Everyone knows I love funny stories, Murdo, Crowns, water towers, animals, Bings, funny animal videos, Queen E, family, family memories, travel, shopping at GW, Connie like anything, did I say Crowns? I love older people too. Preferably older than me. I’m sure I have left out something.

This is how I know that you know me. Here are just a sample of the wonderful things you have seen that made you think of me. I have tons more, especially if I include all of the water tower photogaphs. I included banners and signs, recipe’s and wonderful photographs.

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So even though my hands are raw from hard labor, I know how grateful I should be. I guess you could call me a Cinderella Murdo Girl Queen.

Yeah, I like that. CMGQ..

Well, I have to go now. I stubbed my toe on the vacuum cleaner, so Kip fixed me a cup of tea.

 

 

 

 

 

Once upon a time, many years ago (about 60), there was a sister and a brother who were babysitting their two little sisters while their parents went to visit some friends for a couple of hours. It wasn’t long before a war of words, and a few actions ensued. What course would you imagine an altercation like this would take?

Both injured parties felt it was very important to document their side of the unsatisfactory situation. Karen and Kip were the documentors. Kristin and Karlyce the innocent young girls whose lives were entrusted to a couple of rebellious older siblings.

One important thing. When the youngest of the siblings, (Karlyce), later found the napkin Karen had written her tale on, and the lined paper Kip had written his ‘attorney like’ replies on, she made sure they were both preserved for posterity. (That’s you and me.)

(You can read Karen’s larger handwriting on the napkin. I will translate Kip’s response at the end of his statement.)

**********************

Karen and her Mother, Naomi graduated college together.

“This is business like,” is written at the top of the page of Karen’s deposition.

Kip’s Response

Mom

1. Kristin told Karlyce to not like me. Reply: Karlyce accepted her.
2. They kept teasing and making noise so I couldn’t study. Reply: I gave them fair warning, but they didn’t accept. Reply: They kept making noises, so I pushed them around some.
3. They ran in the dinning room, front room and hall without wiping their feet. Reply: I tried to call you.
4. Kids had gone to bed. Reply: I was studying and Karen started to play the piano just to tease me. Reply: I whistled as loud as I could. Reply: She called me a madman and choked me around the neck. Reply: She went upstairs and wrote a note about me.
5. She came down and played the piano again! Reply: I didn’t listen, so she came out there and made lots of noises. Reply: I wish you would take action against these thoughtless insults.
6. I tried to be nice to Kristin at first, but she ran in the front room, so I made her get out, so she got Karlyce to turn against me. So if Karen even calls me a bully like Mike and afraid to fight somebody my own size, I’m going to beat her up.

Kip

**Note from MG: I don’t know who Mike is, and I didn’t want to ask Kip because I was afraid he would whistle loudly in my ear.

The Family during happier times..Smile..(Maybe next time.)

Rerun…feeling a lot better, but couldn’t get the new story completed, today. Love you all and thanks for hanging in there with me. I often miss the Brick House gang, anyway.

It’s Monday morning at the Brick House. Next Pres Murdo Girl is in the Oblong Office diligently working on her crossword puzzle. Let’s see. What is a 19 letter (two words) for spy _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . “Easy one,” she says out loud. “Aggressive Informant, Yes! I can’t believe how smart I’m getting. I’m almost ready to go from beginner to intermediate!” 

She is also getting pretty good at hearing someone coming up the stairs to her office. She hears footsteps now and hastily shoves her puzzle into the drawer stuffed with Bing candy bars, nail polish, and a newspaper. She looks up to see DM entering.

MG: Hi DM. What do you know?

DM: What? Am I supposed to know something Next Pres?

MG: No DM. That’s Next Pres speak for..What’s in your head.

DM: Oh.”” DM  walks over and sits at MG’s desk and begins to look around the office.

Next Pres Murdo Girl: I’m waiting for you to tell me why you are here.

DM: Oh, sorry Next Pres, I think there’s something you should know. It could be a really bad thing. Or, it might not be anything. You know how things can be bad or good or nothing?

Next Pres Murdo Girl is not in the mood for this, especially since she just thought of the answer to 12 down. What is a 12  letter word for Defense Monitor?.. Exasperating!

DM: Sorry MG, I’m trying to figure out a way to tell you this without you going all ballistic. I don’t even know why I used that word..ballistic. Anyway, Lav is down in the employee lounge and I overheard her telling TC about a bomb threat.

MG: What? Are you kidding me? Go and get TC and Lav, right now! Bring them to my office!

MG is shocked and dismayed, and rightly so. That’s all the Coyote Administration needs. A bomb threat! Sheesh!

Soon, but not soon enough, (a nervous NP Murdo Girl has already wolfed down her last 2 bings), DM enters the office with TC and Lav in tow.

Lav: Man, it smells like cherry mash in here.

MG: Lav! DM here says you have been telling TC that you are aware of a bomb threat in an attempt to overthrow our Coyote Government. How did you come by this bit of delicate information?

Lav: Huh? I saw it for myself. Sherri has put them everywhere. I don’t know what’s wrong with her, except maybe she’s bored. We haven’t had any good parties here recently, the weather has been cold and there’s not that many photographic drawings for her to draw

MG: What? You mean that Sherri is the bomber? TC..Are you an eye witness to any of Sherri’s bombs?

TC: Yes Next Pres Murdo Girl, I witnessed her. She’s been hiding them in plain sight. I cried, because I’m the Town Crier and that’s what I do, but she just laughed at me.

MG: Why do you always salute me TC? You keep sticking your fingers in your cheese head and it’s messing it all up. You don’t have to salute Next Preses.

Lav: I was going to wait until after she was caught and you fired her, but I have the name of another pretty good photographic drawer.

MG: Looks at LAV in disbelief. She thinks she should have saved that last Bing for a situation like this instead of reacting to crossword puzzle worries.

MG: To everyone in the room. Is Sherri in the employee lounge?

DM, TC, and Lav look at each other and shrug their shoulders.

MG: Never mind. I’ll go look for myself. DM..Call Deputy Barney Fife. Ask him if he knows how to disarm a bomb. TC.. Go uptown and town cry in front of the Post Office. Let everybody in this town know we have someone who is hiding bombs around town and to go home and hide..someplace. Lav..Come with me!

MG and Lav walk single file to the employee lounge. The door is open a crack and MG peeks inside. Sure enough, Sherri the Photographic Drawer is sitting there with Carol. She has a duffle bag sitting by her feet. MG listens for a ticking bomb, but since she’s not exactly sure what one sounds like, she decides to play it kind of safe.

MG: Lav go over by Sherri’s chair and without her knowing it, get that duffle bag and take it outside. Don’t put it near the Jeep, if it’s here, or the Driver’s Ed car. Wait! Do you really know someone else who can draw photographs? I mean just in case Sherri has to leave suddenly.

Lav: Yeah..but she mostly draws photographs of sunrises and sunsets. Kind of good morning and goodnight photographic drawings.

MG: That’s all??

Lav: Yeah that and fence posts. The only thing I know for sure is she can’t write poetry.

MG: Feeling like her head is going to explode from the tension, and the 2 pops (cokes) she downed with the two Bings, says: Let’s just cross our fingers that Sherri will be found Innocent of all charges. Maybe she is being blackmailed.

Lav: Yeah, either that or she’s been brainwashed. She hasn’t been over to see the Water Board has she?

MG: I have outlawed water boarding in this town! Never mind Lav, go get the duffle bag, and do not let her see you. Wait, I’ll distract her. Stay here until I give you the high sign.

MG walks nonchalantly into the employee lounge and sits down at the table between Sherri and Carol. She is as nervous as a ceiling fan store owner with a comb-over..No.. more nervous..nervous as a potato chip on Super Bowl Sunday.

MG: Hi Carol and Sherri! Say Carol, I’m feeling really patriotic today. I’m thinking I need you to sing a real Patriotic song.

Carol starts to sing a rousing rendition of The Star Spangled Banner,” but all Murdo Girl hears is.. ‘THE BOMBS BURSTING IN AIR!’

Sherri: I just LUV that song.

MG’s eye starts ticking, or wait! is that the bomb ticking? No.it’s definitely her eye. She raises her hand to her eye, and Lav thinks it’s MG’s hi sign to run in and grab the duffle bag. Lav grabs the bag and runs out the door followed by Carol and MG. As they all run out the front door, DM hears the commotion and runs out the door too.

Right as they get outside, The Deputy Sheriff, Barney pulls up with his lights flashing and his siren blowing (loudly). Pico, A I, Treason, Jerry and TC pull up in the Jeep. TC has her head out the window yelling “TAKE COVER!” A I jumps out, but has to go back to the Jeep to get her sun glasses. Pico yells, “RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!” Treason is writing in a notebook, taking notes for the Murdo Coyote Newspaper no doubt. Jerry..where did Jerry go? Oh there he is on the ground with a bean bag full of beans over his head.

Sherri: What’s going on? Lav, why did you run off with my bag full of pictures?

Everybody at the same time: PICTURES?

Sherri: You all found out I was doing something wrong didn’t you? I’m really sorry and I will never draw pictures again with me in the background.

Deputy Barney Fife: (sniff) You mean you weren’t going to bomb the whole town?

Sherri goes and gets her bag and opens it. Yes indeed, the bag is full of pictures, and Sherri has photo bombed every single one of them.

 

MG: Turn off your sirens Barney. TC, Town Cry..All Clear. Has everyone calmed down now?

A I and Jerry: (Whining) Where’s our pictures? We want a picture too!!

 

Sherri: Really? Well let’s go down to the Employee Lounge and I’ll draw one for everyone. Maybe we can do a group photo bomb.

Treason: Yea! We can put it in the paper!

MG: Somebody please get me a Bing and a Coke!

The Murdo Coyote

Special Edition

The Town of Murdo calls for impearment of Next Pres. Murdo Girl

By reason of impearment. (and Anarchy among the whole Coyote Team Cabinet.)

Sheesh

MG: What is a 7 letter word for “Government is Nuts?” Oh yeah.. Anarchy.

No one said anything for the longest time. Pearl had just told Lauren and me that my father was the product of an affair between Lauren’s Grandma’s brother Hal and Pearl. She had given her baby to her best friend Content, and her husband, Bradley Crandall.

“Whoa,” I said out loud. “That means you and I are kind of related Lauren, and everything comes back to you Pearl. Let’s see, who are we missing in this family drama? Wait..Hal, where is my Grandfather #3 and Lauren’s Great Uncle? Please don’t tell me he has a bunch of kids and grandkids I’m going to have to send birthday cards to.”

Pearl took exception to my remarks and I could almost see fire in her bespectacled eyes. Pearl was having a Pearl clutching moment.

“That is quite enough Faith, and for the record, you and Lauren and the little brother are 2nd cousins I believe. Now, what else do you want to know?”

“Who put my Connie doll in the snow where Janet and Connie were found during the blizzard.” Lauren was having trouble getting all this to sink in.

 

Pearl just sat there with the little photo album in her hand. She looked older than usual. Maybe she looked older because she had a grey dress on.

“I guess I’ll answer Faith’s question first. Hal stayed to help run the family farm, and when his father died he continued to manage it. He married, but his wife was barren. She died several years ago from influenza. Hal suffered a stroke a short time after he lost his wife. He is being cared for in his home by a nurse Lauren’s Grandmother hired. He was never told the baby was his, but if he didn’t think of the possibility, he was a fool.” Pearl seemed to be talking to herself not to us.

“I’m sorry I was snotty to you just now,” I said. “You look tired. Maybe we should take a break. I know Lauren and I both want to know about the Connie dolls and Angels that have helped us both so much, but we don’t have to cover that right now. We’ve waited four years, what’s the rush?”

I was hoping Pearl would say she wanted to get it all out and over with, but she didn’t. She nodded her head, got up, touched us both on our cheeks and left the cat room.

**********************************************

After Pearl left, Lauren and I went to Aunt Grace’s kitchen to find something to eat. I was getting used to hearing shocking and sometimes devastating news, but Lauren wasn’t. She had just come to terms with what had happened four years ago, but now she wasn’t so sure. Janet who lost her little sister in that horrible blizzard, was coming to Murdo and she wanted to talk to Lauren.

Janet’s sister Connie holding a doll in the school picture..Janet and Lauren a year before the blizzard

While we were eating the phone rang. I didn’t see Aunt Grace around, so I answered it. If I thought I was going to get a few moments of peace between my history lessons, I was sadly mistaken. Warren was the caller.

“Hope,” Warren said.” I’m really glad I caught you. I don’t have anyone else to talk to.”

“Sure Warren, do you want to come over here?”

“I can’t. I’m at St. Mary’s hospital in Pierre with my Mom and my Grandparents. Mom is here, and she’s in intensive care. Can you get a ride and come here?”

Lauren was the only one I could think of that had a driver’s license, and could take me on such short notice, so I asked Warren to hang on while I asked her. “She’s going to call her Mom Warren, I know this is long distance, but can you call me back in 30 minutes or so? It would take too much time and money to try to track you down in that hospital.”

It all worked out and within an hour Lauren and I were on our way to the hospital. Poor Warren. I never did have a chance to ask him what happened? My mind was going to the worst possible outcome.

“Lauren, because of all that’s happened to the people I love these past four plus years, I always try to be prepared for bad news, but I never am. I should try harder to think positive thoughts, like.. Mrs. Martin is going to be just fine.”

“I know Hope,” Lauren said. “It must be hard to stay focused on the good things when you have as much turmoil in your life as you’ve had. I want to ask you something about our Angel, or Angels I guess. I’ve been wondering if she told you what she told me.”

“We’ve never really talked about our Angel experiences have we Lauren? What did your Angel say to you?”

“She said when I’m feeling like I’m ready to cave in, or wishing I had someone else’s easier life, I should concentrate on simple things. She said one thing I’m thinking about right now. One who falls and gets up, is so much stronger than the one who never fell. I try to remember this. She also said, be anxious about nothing. I think that’s in the Bible somewhere. It means that worry and fear don’t get us anywhere. That we should remain calm and believe in the power of faith.”

“I don’t remember my Angel saying those words to me, but she did say to remember simple things. She said, What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.” She also said, everything I ever wanted was on the other side of fear.” 

Warren told us to come to the intensive care waiting room, and that’s where we found him. “Where are your Grandparents?” I asked.

“The doctor said we could go in, but not all at the same time. I told them to go first, because I wanted to wait for you. Hi Lauren.” Warren smiled at us and asked us if we wanted a pop.

“We don’t need anything,” I said. “We want to know what you need. Do you want to tell us what happened?”

“I feel so guilty,” he said. “I thought the worst when the Sheriff called and said Mom had an accident and needed to be rushed to the hospital. He said the nurse and another injured woman were with her, and the policeman was driving them to the hospital.”

Warren’s Mom at the restaurant

Lauren asked Warren if he wanted to talk to me alone, but he shook his head. “It’s fine that you’re here Lauren. I know how much Hope thinks of you… I jumped to the conclusion that Mom was probably drunk and wrecked her car. I was madder than I was worried. I was mad the whole time we were driving here. My Grandparents didn’t think that way. They prayed and said positive things. They said the only important thing was that she was alive, and that we would deal with everything else later.”

Warren’s Grandparents and Warren

“Your Mom was in a car accident? Is that what happened Warren?” I was so worried that Warren’s worse fears had come true. That Mrs. Martin had started drinking again and had a horrible accident.”

“No..She was at work and there was a grease fire in the kitchen. One of the other waitresses clothes caught on fire. Mom told someone to call the police and get the fire extinguisher, but I guess no one had been properly trained on how to use it. They were trying to figure it out, when Mom grabbed the lady and pushed her down to the floor and started to roll with her away from the spreading fire. She told someone else to grab the baking soda. I don’t know what finally happened, all I know is Mom got badly burned trying to save someone else, while everyone else in the place panicked and froze.”

“Have you found out anything?”  I was thinking, please say she will be okay. Help Warren and his Mom Connie Angel.

“They came out a little while ago and said she was badly burned, but she would recover. She will be in the hospital until they’re sure she is healed enough that they won’t have to worry about an infection.”

“I’m so sorry this happened to your Mom,” Lauren said. “She has already proven what a strong woman she is and she will get through this.”

“How is the other lady?” I asked.

“She was burned pretty badly too. She has about the same prognosis as Mom. They said all the way to the hospital, she kept saying that Mom saved her life, and her kids would still have a Mother. I feel so guilty because of the things I was thinking about her. I was only thinking about myself.”

I saw myself in the things Warren was saying, and I heard an Angel’s voice. “You know exactly what to say to Warren. I heard you and Lauren talking about your “Angels.” I don’t remember using so many platitudes in our conversations. When you tell Warren what he needs to know, and you need to say, don’t talk in platitudes.”

“What on earth does platitude mean?” I asked.

“The same thing as it does in Heaven.”

 *****************

Have you ever shopped at a Goodwill Store? If you haven’t let’s go! Even if you have let’s go, and men…There are things there for you too! I got an ice cream maker for $6.00, and some great shirts for Kip.

It took a while for me to get the hang of shopping at The GW Boutique. At first, I kept asking them if they had something I liked in a different size. After you’ve been there for about 2 hours, they start looking at you funny. You can’t return stuff either. I usually try everything on, but if I get something that doesn’t fit, I’m not out a huge amount. I cleaned out my closet the other day and took old clothes to the back door to donate, then walked around to the front to shop. I saw a lady there that almost bought her own top!

I joined some friends for a yoga class this morning. My body hurt all over before I went and I cannot tell you how much better my 65 year old joints, and muscles felt after I went through the class. I love that class. Anyway, Kip went to Tyler to shop for recliners for the RV, so I ran some errands before coming home. It’s been so warm in this part of Texas, I was in need of some cooler clothing. I needed some things I could wear to Church and a few things a step above workout clothes. I spent two hours there and I could have easily spent 2 more. I’m excited to show you my finds.

The first pic is me in the Goodwill dressing room still in my yoga clothes, but I did buy the top at Goodwill ($2.00). All the things you see in the next photos are things I didn’t buy. I didn’t need another workout jacket (pink), or denim jacket($5.00), although this one is really cute. I wanted the long skirt ($4.00), and the purse ($5.00), but didn’t get them. I may go back and get the purse. It’s good quality and in excellent condition. I will be wishing I had it when spring gets here. Do you like it? Do you think it’s “Connie like?”

This is what I came home with. I will try everything on for you.

I bought the denim vest ($5.00) last year and I have worn it many times. The shoes were brand new Stride Life ($3.00). I bought them last week, and they’re super comfortable. The skirt ($4.00 Old Navy), and T shirt ($1.99 Old Navy), I bought today. The orange choker necklace was Mom’s, total cost of the outfit..$14.00

The Shirt ($4.00 Talbots), the capris ($4.00 Gloria Vanderbilt), Keds tennis shoes ($3.00) I bought them for this outfit, but I washed them and they’re wet, but in perfect condition. Total cost of the outfit..$11.00.

I thought these workout pants would be fun ($4.00 Venus Wear). the Crown T shirt says Keep Calm and Cheer On. It has a crown on it too of course. I got it last week for (2.00) A really casual outfit for a total of $6.00.

I forgot to try these on. I wasn’t sure I would like the big parrots on them, but they are cute on.. ($4.00 Bill Bass). The peach shirt I bought last year for $3.00, but I think I’ll wear white or a deeper orange with them.

I bought the top today. It is the softest stretchy fabric, ($4.00 Ellen Tracy) I got the new slippers for ($2.00), the new belt ($2.00), and the Jeff Foxworthy book $.50)

My total expenditure for today was $37.00

Ping Golf shirts I got Kip ($4.00 each). I didn’t get him anything today. My favorite shirt is in the worsh.

I needed a raincoat for RVing.. I got this one in perfect condition for $5.00..”Are you kidding me Lil Papa? I love it!” No Charlie, Lil Papa is a goodwill shopper. I hate going anywhere else.

So Murdo Girl readers..If you want me to shop for you send me $10.00 and tell me what size and what you want. I won’t guarantee anything or pay for shipping, but I need someone else to shop for. I don’t need anything more and Kip says nothing is a good deal if you don’t need it. I won’t even blab that what you are wearing came from the GW Boutique…

Well this has surely been fun. I promised I would share my apple and zucchini chip recipes. I also promised a Connie story. I might do something different tomorrow, and a Connie story Sunday. I hope everyone is off to a super week-end!

 

Today Murdo Girl and Queen Lav are sharing a cooking experience with all of you. We are following the instructions given in a paper Murdo Girl’s grandson Mason wrote for one of his classes. It details how 2 write a how 2. Mason’s written instructions will be in italics so you can see and understand how to write a how 2, and demonstrate how the how 2 works, with your how 2. Get it? Got it? Good!

Hi guys. Do you love to write? Well if that is so, then you will love this! It’s a narrative instructing you on an ingenious way to write a how 2. Now.. to learn how to do this wonderful task you will need to read this amazing narrative, but don’t read too much at one time. You might hurt yourself.

First you will need your magical supplies.

Queen Val is writing her how 2 as she recreates her Mother Ella’s roll recipe.

Queen Val: (clears throat.) My magical supplies are: The recipe, ingredients, bowls, utensils, a warm spot for the rolls to rise/raise twice…(Preferably not in the sunny spot where the cat suns himself. My cat was rather irritated.)

Once you have all of your supplies gathered, all you need is an ingenious mind and you can get started.

(tick, tock, tick, tock,) Are you ready Queen Val?

Okay now we can get started. First you should start with some sort of thought organizer such as; a t-chart or idea web. This should help you organize yourself. Then you need to think of a hook or something interesting to say. It should intice your target audience to want to read your how 2 narrative and of course, the best outcome is for them to make your Mom’s rolls. (*hint* My example: “Do you love to write? Well if you do? You will love this!”) You should also use descriptive words to replace boring old plain words.

Queen Val: My hook is: Do you love to watch an ingenious, beautiful Queen baking heavenly rolls? (I just searched in my “idea web” which is in my ingenious head, for this gotcha hook!) If you’re hooked on rolls, then welcome to my world.

Now comes the body. This is where you take all of those ideas from that handy-dandy organizer you so ingeniously thought of, (you can thank me later), and just take those ideas right off the page. The body should be full of juicy details that you didn’t give away in your hook. (You didn’t did you?) If you don’t know what I mean by body, it’s just the stuff in between the beginning and the end of your how 2 narrative. 

Queen Lav: I mixed up the dough by following my Mom’s instructions to the T. Well, except I’m not sure what Oleo is. My “idea web” thought of a good idea! I looked up Oleo in the dictionary, which said, “We don’t know. Ask someone from South Dakota. It’s probably going to be the same people who worsh their dishes, instead of washing them.”

Queen Lav: Now for some juicy details. After I let the 10 pounds of dough rise, I had to punch the dough, make little balls, put the balls in the pans and let them rise again. While they were rising, I chewed on a piece of Juicy Fruit gum. That takes care of the juicy detail, so I guess I will do what comes next. I have been working on this how 2 for over two hours. I have dirty dishes to worsh, and it’s hot in this kitchen. I hope the rest of this narrative goes fast so I can get these little beauties baked.

After all of that, you can head on to the conclusion. The conclusion is technically the end. but we all know there is no end to learning. In the conclusion, you can write a nice summary of what you have so perfectly written and done. You can leave the people who haven’t already gone out to eat with a nice little goodbye note.

Queen Lav: To summarize what I have written and done, I will say this. MG sent me Mom Ella’s recipe for rolls that was featured in the 1951 Methodist Cook Book. I spent 2, maybe 4 hours following the instructions on the narrative she forced me to write, baked 36 rolls and then stood in a long line at the store to buy my favorite Hawaiian rolls. So narrative person, what do I do next? Oh yeah, I will leave you with a nice little goodbye…CYA..

MG: I’m sure she meant see ya! I asked Queen Lav to send me a picture of “Ella’s rolls” after she baked them. I told her I didn’t need all 36, just a sampling.

MG: I don’t know what to say except, “Do you like to fish?” You have the hook, you stood in line, and now you have 36 weights or sinkers.  You have created a fishing experience with your hook, line, and sinker rolls, and you don’t even have to swallow them. See?..a frown is just a smile turned upside down.

Note from Queen Val’s family. We support her narrative. Let’s see, 36 divided by 6 is only 6 fishing weights each. The cat: So I can eat the fish and I don’t have to eat the weights? I’m in!

Well I hope you liked my how 2 on how 2 write a how 2. This has been a lot of fun. If you’re reading this, or if I’m reading it to you, my hope is that you have a nice day..Mason Masteller. Now I’m off to shoot some hoops.

MG: Unfortunately we are all out of time. The ink is barely dry on my amazing narrative. I will leave you with some tantalizing photos of my world-famous apple and zucchini chips and psgetti squash, accompanied by psgetti squash seeds, which I have roasted to perfection.

If you beg me, I might show you my narrative. I’ll copy it as soon as the copycat moves.

Skyler: Isn’t Grammy funny? That’s her Loretta pose. Ryan Constance: Am I funny haha, or funny peculiar like Grammy?

Today’s Cookbook Findings

Remember the story I found in my Cookbook? The one my son wrote in 1989. Well, I found the 2nd page of it and started to read what turned out to be a book report of sorts. Craig apparently had to read a story and answer “thinking” questions. When I first started to read it, I was irate. I would have called the school, but then I remembered the report was written in 1989, when my son was only eleven. You will see by the comments I made at the end of my review, that I changed my position.

The story is quite relevant, so I’m going to share a little of it with you.

Why were there no old people in the village? The young lord of the village ordered everybody over 71 to go to the mountains and die. He thought older people were useless.

What did the farmer do with his 71-year-old mother? He took her to the mountains to die, but on the way up she broke up small twigs and dropped them along the way so her farmer son wouldn’t get lost on his way back down from the mountain.

*MG’s translation..Son, you can’t even find a jar of peanut butter in a cupboard full of peanut butter much less make it back down this mountain..that is..without your mother.

Why didn’t the farmer leave his 71-year-old mother on the mountain to die? The farmer changed his mind about leaving his mother because he was too close to her and he could not think what it would be like without his mother.

*MG..Good answer my loving son. I probably would have added that it might get too dark before he got down from the mountain and he wouldn’t be able to see the twigs…or wild animals lurking about.

What did the farmer do with his mother when he got her back down the mountain? He just couldn’t let her die so he brought her back to his house and hid her in a hole he dug. The farmer knew if the young lord of the village found out his 71-year-old mom was hidden in a hole, the farmer and his mother would both be sent to the dungeon to die. (Craig spelled dungeon wrong, but that’s beside the point.)

*MG..wait a sec.. a hole? Doesn’t this village have someplace better for you to hide your 71-year-old mother? How big is this hole? Is the dungeon bigger?

This next question I don’t quite get. I only have Craig’s answer.

The farmer’s mother laughed when her son told her about the impossible task of making a rope out of ash because she knew how to make that very, very, easily.

*MG..Of course she did. The question is why do you need a rope made from ash? A cub scout badge perhaps?

How did the young lord figure out what was going on? The 71-year-old mother saved the village 3 times. The lord knew that the farmer was not that wise so he asked the farmer if anybody had helped him. The farmer could not lie so he told the young lord that his mother helped him.

*MG..I probably would have said “MY MOM DID IT ALL YOU IGNORANT YOUNG LORD!! Where is your Mother? That’s what I would like to know!”

What lesson did the young lord learn? He learned that old people are not useless, but they are wise.

MG* I probably would have told the young lord that my son is very, very, wise. He learned it all from his Mother the Queen.

 

*MG..I think this book or story should be mandatory reading for all 11 year olds. They should have to read it a 2nd time when they are 16.

 

1932 picture of the E.A. Thomas and M.E. Sanderson families. Mom is 2nd row, dark short hair and hat. Valerie’s Mom is the tall girl next to her with the bib overalls. Mom was 11, the same age Craig was when he wrote about the old wise woman. Uh oh..I don’t believe my Mother lied about her age when she was 12. She crossed out 12 and put 11. She probably did this after she became a wise old woman. Well at least she was consistent. She changed her DOB in Grandma’s family Bible too.