“Blue Ribbon Winner”

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Several stories on this picture to remember!

First story   – the photo of “BABY ME”  – as my Mother told me,  I was in the backyard playing and all of a sudden my Father comes rushing in – to get me  – because there is a “BABY CONTEST” going on at a nearby Photography Store – with prizes to be given for the best looking baby!  My Mother wants to clean me up and put some clean clothes  on me that would be suitable for having a photograph taken?

No way for that to take place – my Dad just grabs  me in his arms  from the play-pen and rushes out – and off we go  – just my Dad and me – and several photos were taken – since there are some other pictures of me  but, the photo hanging on the wall was picked as the “WINNER!”

Second story –  You see me in a blouse that I had just made from a new pattern.  I was working at the Telephone Co., and  since I was a “telephone operator”  – thought that I should  let the world know that I like my job saying “OPERATOR” and connecting people via the long lines. This was the day – that you had to have an “OPERATOR” make most of the connections for the calls you would need in your business or personal life! Since those days – you the customer can do all the connecting you want – and all by yourself – “Leaving   “ME” out of the picture!”

“Just a second thought…over ( 50 ) years ago… everyone thought – – that their “telephone” bill was too much – – but… have you checked out what you are paying today?”

“Today… I feel that we are… all  paying too much… and that goes for all of the utility bills that a  home owner must pay – – every kind of tax – – to each and every entity  in the vicinity of the house you live in. There are just  – ( 1 ) one   …too many kinds of taxes charged to the customer – – and the worst  of all is  called… “Energy Efficiency Investment Charge” – – take a look at your bills coming in monthly?”

“Do NOT… forget…  the  ‘sales tax’ on the utility bills.”  I always thought that when you went to a store to purchases an item… something you could hold in your hands – – something even as large as a vehicle – – you would pay a “SALES TAX”  on  – something  ‘rock’ solid. But to pay “SALES TAX” on  – – “GAS” – “ELECTRIC” “WATER”  – – “PHONE SERVICE”  – – and the “SEWER TAX” which is based on the amount of the “WATER” coming into your home… my “BIG” question is… when will we be charged for the amount of  “AIR” that we need to breathe… each minute – – each day of our LIFE?”

“JUST WONDERING” – –  “Do YOU WONDER, too?”


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“Not only “ONE” Bird – but – 3 Birds!”

Here I am – sitting at the computer – this morning – finishing my breakfast – and a very small “BIRD” – standing on her tippy-toes – gives out with a real strong whistle!

I look over my left shoulder and there she is – propped up and on the top of the swinging lamp – giving another strong call – to me???

Here’s what I think she was saying to me – “Yesterday you put out “BIRD FOOD “ and we ate all of it – so what about “TODAY” – are you sleeping?”

Just about then a very large bird – look like a “BLUEJAY” as we have plenty of them nesting in the nearby trees – decides to chime in, too – saying  – “We would also… like to get a fair share of anything – that you might like to give us – as we have big families to feed – those little ones of ours, have such big mouths and they are always squawking about being hungry – and until they are as big as the adults, cannot leave the nest???”

The first small bird is still the loudest and now,  has another of the smaller size birds joining her, and it seems that now, they  are calling all of the birds in the nearby trees to join in … and so with the three of these birds on the porch – the third “BIRD” and newcomer to the group – flies down onto the deck and searches the deck  – just to see if some crumbs – or leftovers are lying around and about  – as this one must be the scrounger – she actually looks into the flower pots and inspects every little nook and cranny – nothing is left to chance when she is around – “if… it is possible” to be found she heads the “DETECTIVES” on duty to seek and find!

So, “NOW” – I feel guilty that I am eating and the poor little “BIRDS” are patiently waiting for “back porch service” – nothing to do but stand up and let the “FIRST COMMER” for food know … that she has my full attention – and if she will stand by – she can watch me very carefully get the feeding scoop and fill up her plate – so she at least can say a  prayer of thanks to the Almighty – as,  she did ask and she did receive – and the Almighty said  – that his “BIRDS” would always be taken care of – even though – my breakfast is going to get a little on the cold-side before I get back to finish it!

“All Creatures  – Great and Small…” some where I read or heard that – there may be much more,  that goes with it  – but that is all I just thought of  – for the moment – but,  what came to mind is that – if we just ask with the faith that we will receive – then all of our needs…  will be met!

The most important ingredient – and you know when you are cooking with gas – have to be sure all items in the recipe are taken care of and remembered.

“That’s the “SUGAR” in the pudding – one must always start with “Thanksgiving” – Praise – Honor and Glory.

Give that first to the Almighty in your “PRAYER” – and you will find that your “PRAYERS” are answered – and so much faster!

“All – “Creatures Great and small” – all ask and all receive!”

 


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Here’s an update for “MOM!”

One thing that I wish everyone would do more – is really communicate with family members – way before our “cut off” date  – here on earth? Once someone is gone – there is a lot of unfinished business – that someone needs an idea of how to continue for the best results – for those left behind. We all have “PLANS” – working on “PROJECTS” and some even have “BIG DEALS” – that need closing,  – but how?

One sample of what I am taking about – take Daddy’s case. He was in the lending of money to some of the neighbors and even his land-lord. When we got a truck and move all of his earthly possessions – those  things – that were worth giving to someone – and also personal papers and items that someone might want as mementos – boxes he had taped shut  – and even wallets – some currently used and then some with papers?

The wallets with the papers – did not seem to me, to be anything that needed to be checked out – so I put this  job off for several months. But, one afternoon – when I started going through this one wallet – unfolding papers that were stapled together – found that Daddy was owed quite a bit of money by some friends that lived in his neighborhood! Well, at this point – what could I do?  The funeral was over and no one  visiting, volunteer any information  – that they would be paying back and or returning to “Daddy’s” family  – anything that they owed  him – nothing came up!

So, I just had to check this off – that those that owed Daddy – would forever remember to have a very good word for him – since they never had to repay anything that they borrowed? That’s a terrifically good “DEAL” for all those who are slow to repay their debts – and then the “LENDER” is good enough to die and never let anyone know – that he is owed – anything – the slate if wipe clean for all the borrowers!

As for you, MOM – I still have lots of your papers and there is a lot of your writing in shorthand. Of course – you did tell me that the “Shorthand” class you were in was the last of “PITMAN TRAINING” and the following year at school- they started teaching “GREGG SHORTHAND” – so here I am – lots of stuff looks interesting because – all those that use shorthand – always write a word or two out  – that – and I’m guessing – shorthand for may not make any sense when deciphering, later?

Only me, no one else, in this whole world would save your “School Books” for the “PITTMAN Course” – thinking that maybe – just maybe – someday , I would be able to teach, your shorthand course to myself and then be able to read lots of stuff – that has been kept secret for all these many years! All though – there just could be something very valuable in all those papers – some special information – something that the world may need to know – even something to change all of history?

When you stop to think about all the stuff – we leave behind to our families and then – we do not take time to leave important instructions  – it’s like getting a “Christmas Gift” – and written on the “GIFT TAG” is – “Instructions Not Included!”  “What can we do – to correct – this situation???”


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“MOM” I’m doing a Word Check?

When I was going to school – and had “homework” to do – there is always a word or two that I did not understand – and in some cases couldn’t even begin to spell.  Well  – when you know that you’re “MOTHER” knows “WORDS” inside and out – I would just ask and expect an answer to solve my problem? That did not work for me after awhile.

My “MOM” was way ahead of me – she knew that if I did not do some work on my own to find out about the words – on my own – she would be doing me a complete disservice.

So, for me the message came loud and clear – “Use the Dictionary” and read as much as possible to improve the brain and learn as I go. That’s what I did. When I started Collage, and had a list of books to purchase – I bought them all – and one of them was a very good dictionary. I just love  good books and if I had to put out some good and hard earn money for the books – you know that I was going to have those books – forever!

So, as I am getting older and reading more – looking at words – probably the way that I should have – years ago? When I was younger, I took it easy in my word search – and did not really do the best job of studying words – that I could have when I had the time and now feel guilty about what I did not do  – back then when I was a kid?

One book that is really important for me to read today and daily – is the Bible. In my reading – have to do a real search into the words as written and try to fully understand  them – what the message is that I should be receiving. As I was reading in Psalms – came across a couple of words   – that as I was looking at the words – saw another word in that word – and immediately a meaning came to mind. So, that is what I started doing and wrote down a few words.

First – the word, “SWORD” and immediately saw the inner word, “WORD” realizing  – to use the wrong word to  and or with someone  – it is like using a sword against the other person and perhaps even cut off a very good friendship with some of the mean words I, use toward friend, and family. The next word on my list is “MOUTH” – so big the word “OUT” – meaning to me that – good and bad words can come out of our mouths so fast – that before we even think how “hateful” and deceitful and hurting we can be – and once the words are out of the mouth – they can never be recalled back in – and a tremendous amount of damage has been done. In my reading in Psalms – part of the understanding  of – and what I am reading is that some of the words used – are there to hopefully help us to learn a new lesson – so that we are not killing family and friends with the words we are currently using.

Mom, since it was just your “BIRTHDAY” – I feel that you are always with me  – and that you are still encouraging me to use good words – “The King’s Language” –  like you, used to say to me  – “Good Words Never Hurt Anyone”  – and I will always feel good – “that I did it your way!”


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“MOM”- “We did not tell you – this…!”

This is one thing – that we did not tell you, MOM – so guess I can tell you now?

When I was maybe six (6) years old – in the early 1940’s – and everything was “new” to Tommy, Denny and ME – for us to see a nice “dogie” come over to play with us – when we were at the “PARK” – one afternoon – is something that I could never entirely forget.

We, three were having “FUN” and then this cute little dogie took a liking to us – so we thought we were friends of the dogie’s and spent a lot of our time playing with him  – But, when the time look like we needed to head for home – we went the usual way that we always did – but, the dogie followed us all the way home.

So, when we got home we were not sure if you would let the dogie stay with us – since we knew you like cats – and this was the first time for a small dogie  – to like us kids and play with us  – just like a good dogie should. So this is our confession; we snuk the dogie in to the bed room and when we heard you calling us – we hid the dogie in the covers on the bed and left the room.

We all cleaned up and got ready to have supper – and did not say anything about having the dogie in the house. After eating and whatever we had to do way back then – we went back to the bed room and closed the door. When we search around for the little dogie – we had found that the dogie had “PEE” in the bed – and we all were scared as to what we should do?

One of us snuk the dogie outside and started calling us from the outside – saying – “That little dogie we were playing with at the PARK – followed us home!” So, naturally we all went outside – including you, MOM – and of course we all were asking to keep the dogie – because he was so cute and we were friends – we even said we would take care of him! But, what did we know about taking care of a dogie – we could hardly take care of ourselves – and with “DADDY in the NAVY in California”  – there was no way to ask him???

Now that I think about it – there was a “WAR” going on – everyone was having a hard time – food was not so plentiful that you could be handing it out so freely – and more than likely – someone dropped the dogie off – just so some kind people would take it home – and hopefully – give the little dogie a “GOOD HOME” – which just  was – not the case for us to do.

Any way – what I so often wonder about was – did you know that the little dogie was in the house and also “PEE the bed” – and did you think that one us kids “WET” the bed? And – as an adult – now – was the mattress  – “wet and was there a spot” to damage it? All these years I often wondered what the damage was – if any – and if you knew what happened? Because –as I had my own small children and I did notice everything and anything – if out of place and when washing the bed linens  – if any unusual spots –  that would stick out – then, I would make inquires – just to find out – “what happened?”

 

 


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Marie Brady – 1918

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Miss Marie Brady  – Today is her  114th –  Birthday!

This is stamped that if you want more copies of this “PHOTO”  – the charge is $1.00 or 6 copies for $5.00 –  Now you have an idea of how old the photo is.

I always,  liked this photo of my  Mother “Marie Brady McClarren”   – but she did not like it – why ??? –  she did not say   and I  could – never get a reason?

So, today in Heaven – I know that they are singing and dancing – dancing the “Charleston” – that was her favorite dance – the “Roaring Twenties” and the days of the “FLAPPERS” must have really  been fun for those who like to kick up their heels?

“Happy Birthday” …  to the  “BEST of  MOTHERS – – – and wishing lots and many more happy Birthdays in Heaven!


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