70 YEARS OF SISTER ACT

I don't remember when I first became aware of her. I do know that I was 5 1/2 years old when she was born.  We had the prerequisite mother and father, two sets of grandparents one Aunt and her husband our Uncle Gid.  No cousins no other children.  I feel sure that I was not aware of her birth because I was completely self absorbed by four grandparents who thought that having me for a  grandchild was blessing of all blessings from God.  Little did I know at 5 1/2 years of age that they would think another grand daughter was a double blessing from God,  I think I do not remember her when she was a baby  because of some smidgen of jealousy.  I had been the center of a universe. I liked it.   I am trying hard to remember the first time I actually became aware that she had entered that universe.  Truthfully I don't know.  I just know  that she has been a part of my life for 70 years.  Longer than anyone else.  I know that our DNA matches more closely than any other  DNA in our family.

We grew up where there was plenty of love to go around and we benefitted from it all of our lives.  My first memory I believe.....you know how you sometime think you knew something and then you are not sure whether you actually knew it or you had heard the story so many times that you believed you knew it.  Its a complicated sentence and thought but you know what I mean.  I heard the story about her long blond curls which everyone thought were beautiful and my hair which seldom ever bent and how I loved cutting hair anyway and so.....the rest of the story is predictable.  I cut a few of the curls off. Again I may only know if from having heard the story, but I think I actually remember it.

She didn't call me Beverly.  She called me Kid.  I never knew why.  It took years and years before her saying Beverly sounded right to me.  It does today,     She was actually much more the lovable child than I.  She was obedient, she was respectful and she was prettier than I was.  Enough to make me wonder what I had done to have this person enter my territory. I was more adventurous than she and together I suppose we finally meshed.

Today I can thank my Mother and Dad for putting her in my life.  I know that she and I both grew up.  She was my chief baby sitter with my  daughter.  I was her chief baby sitter with her first two children.  We traveled many miles together, all over England and Scotland.  Four of us.   Actually,  I know that God blessed me and put her in my life.  That's how she got there.

I still don't know how  we managed when they would visit from Arlington,  and we had the four of us and three children and somehow in a small house on Dunbar Street with one bathroom we managed to feed everyone breakfast get everyone in and out of the bathroom and get to Sunday School on time.

The time that I think bonded us more than any other time was when we spent about 2 weeks together at the hospital in Dallas when we said goodbye to her mate and my brother through her. I knew then that neither of us would ever be alone as long as the other one lived.

Today she is still wiser than me and I am still more outgoing than she and we probably complement each other.  She knows more about me than anyone on earth and I am confident and comfortable with  her knowing.

I've seen her enter into another marriage with a good Christian man.  She would not have chosen otherwise. I thank God for that.    She is a dependable person to have around.
Thank you Father for this gift.  Frances Stewart,  today at this milestone year of your birth,  I hope you have a HAPPY BIRTHDAY and that I never have to live without you in my life.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JIMBO

Forty-three years ago we had a baby boy.  We named James Jr. We have always called him Jimbo.  In fact everyone does.  He uses that exclusively in his business.  It was a name we swore we would not ever use.  Shows how when children are concerned you should never say never.

I repost here a blog I wrote for his birthday in 2010 and again say to him he was a BIG DEAL and HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOMORROW, SEPTEMBER 10,  FROM MOM AND DAD..



You know as you get older, you realize things you considered BIG are really LITTLE in the scheme of things.  For instance: you will recall that Mate and I ran off and got married.  Boy was that a BIG thing!  After 57 years the actual planning and doing it was not at all that big.  It was one of many defining moments in our lives and certainly the living together is BIGGER than the actual running away.   The finding a way to buy a home across the street from the Colleys  was really not such a BIG thing.  The BIG thing was living and forming lasting memories and friendships together  for over 30 years.    In 1967, our family consisted of a Mom, Dad and 14 year old daughter.  Our lives were just peachy.  Our wants were not much.   Daughter was doing okay in school, we were  content.  Had just what we wanted.  Fusses every once in a while but they passed.  All in all....... GOOD life.  God blessed us.

1968 proved that indeed God has a sense of humor. 

 If you live in Wichita Falls, Texas, you know that usually on the last Saturday in January each year, the Kiwanis Club has a pancake breakfast and it is almost mandatory to attend sometime during the day.  We always did.  After all you got to visit with people you didn't see much during the year, and every politician who was running for office or trying to stay in office would be there and back then they gave away pencils or  rulers.  It was, you might say,  festive.  Plus all the bacon and pancakes you wanted.

In 1968 my doctor's office was open on Saturday mornings.    I had  made an appointment.  Told no one.  In my mind I had decided I was going to have a baby.  Don't have the slightest idea why (maybe that sense of humor thing again).  Dr. Richard Bates, my doctor for everything.  I loved Richard Bates.  No personality,  seldom ever joked , just down to business.  Office on Brook Street.  Told him what I thought, and he laughed.  That was a BIG thing.  I had made Richard Bates laugh.  Had to do a test.  He said he would let me know Monday.  Told him I would be a maniac before Monday.  Nurse, friend of mine,  said she would run the test and he would call me in a couple of hours.  Feeling better I went home.

Mate and daughter ready to go eat pancakes.  I stalled.  Phone rang.  I answered.  Simple statement from Richard Bates.  "You're pregnant."  His next words, "Are you Okay?"  I think I must have weakly said "Yes".    How do you  tell  two unsuspecting persons that three people's lives as they know them are about to change and change dramatically, when they have no clue what is going on?  When in doubt, barrel in. "Lets go eat pancakes and by the way, we are going to have a baby,"  I said as I walked toward the door.  That my friends was a 'BIG THING'.

Needless to say we did not leave right away, we had a family discussion.  Daughter wanted immediately to run tell the neighbors.  Mate said, do not leave the house.  I think it took a while for it to sink in.

Well 1968 had come in like a lion.  We adjusted.  Daughter was ecstatic, Mate happy, I stayed in shock.  I was the practical one.  I thought about things like, PTA again, bottles to sterilize, diapers to wash.  Now along about three-forths of the way through I began to do some investigation and found that things had come a long way.  Bottles of formula could be bought and all you had to do was to put a nipple on the top of the bottle. Pampers were introduced some 7 years earlier but had not caught on.  They had a long way to go and still used those huge safety pins with the little ducks on them.  However, at this point in time, unlike when Daughter was born, we had a washer.  No dryer yet, but a washer that you did not have to stand over and operate.  It did it on its own.  Still almost every back yard had a clothes line. One good thing about the pregnancy is that I never felt better in my entire life, before or since.  Didn't gain but 14 pounds, was able to get really cute maternity clothes and best of all people made over me all the time.  They thought it was wonderful. I was not certain of that.  Selfishly I kept thinking about how my life was going to change.    I worked until 2:00 on the afternoon of September 9, 1968, and went home got my "stuff" together and Mate, Daughter and I journeyed to the hospital where I was scheduled to deliver a baby the next morning at 9:30.  Well, it was almost fun.  I had a large room, flowers from bosses, whatever I wanted to eat that evening.  It wasn't til Mate and Daughter left that I assessed my position.  There was no way to get out of it, no way to say, "I changed my mind", nothing to do but plow ahead and wonder if it would be a boy or girl.    So the next morning,  I bade my family a teary see you later and was wheeled into the operating room.  At 9:36 on September 10, 1968 ,  Dr. Bates  announced, "You have a fine looking boy here." 

That folks is a 
          BIG, BIG, DEAL Happy Birthday Son.  Thanks for coming into our lives

.

CAN IT GET ANY BETTER

Last evening I was privileged to substitute for sister and play a silly little game called Bunco. I say its a silly little game because it takes no talent, no strategy, and you don't even have to concentrate, The whole purpose of the game is to sit down and "visit". I played with eleven Christian women, ranging in age from the youngest who is 20 to myself at 75. I still think i am much older than Vollie. Among the women were a Mother and Daughter, two mothers in law with their daughter in laws, There was a young lady who had killed a snake and who trains horses. There was a retired teacher who still occasionally substitutes at the Christian School, a dear friend of mine, who I had never seen laugh so hard and have such a good time; A young mother who from outward appearances has no cares and no worries Her personality is serene and so calm. Not a care in the world, Yet we all know she has anguished and stood by the side of a husband who underwent Chemo, who we prayed over, who has seen him through remission and whose daughter is to move away to begin her career in a far away big City (well not too far away) A very happy lady who has been hired for a job at the college and a mother who is thrilled that she now has a house to move into, One lady told a story about a long ago anniversary trip, one I had heard before, and we were all laughing so hard that it was difficult to hear this delightful story again. One a woman we all admire who has a husband who needs her care and who has seen a son turn from a life of sin where she thought she had lost him and now she rejoices in the fact that he often preaches from our pulpit and in fact is in charge of the facility where we

met, A beautiful, young woman who laments turning thirty, with two handsome boys and a sweet husband. I came home happy and was met by a freshly groomed schnauzer and a husband who loves me. I read that my sister and her husband were safely home with my great niece.

Then this morning I woke to a tribute written by a niece who I love dearly. Today is the anniversary of the death of her father, my brother in law. One of the finest men I have ever known. I wept for sorrow in missing him and with joy that I know he is with the Father. I thanked God that w had him for the years that we did and I thank God that my sister has a Christian man who is her life companion now and will love and honor her after I have joined Monte with the father.



To all outward appearances we had nothing in common, nothing that would make you think we would enjoy two or three hours spent in each others company tossing three little die around. You already know what is is. Its another Three, but the Three are the Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit.



It CAN'T get any better,

A Funny Thing Happened...................

I worked for the Great State of Texas (GST) for over 14 years.    I loved my job.  Learned about bureaucracy; accepted the fact that I could not change it.  But most of all I met some wonderful people who did a good job and took their responsibility seriously (admittedly some more than others).  I am truly grateful to the tax payers of this state because I have a retirement check and best of all I had free health insurance all the years I worked and will for the rest of my life and I am able to purchase same for mate at a very low price. 

GST  decided to hire a firm, not from the GST, but of all places....Yankee Land, up North, whose job assignment is to audit the beneficiaries of all retired and present GST employees.  Seems some employees or retirees of GST have some beneficiaries on their insurance program who are not legal. (well I am shocked)  It is not me.  So last Friday a letter  came out.  Told us what to do.  Classified the different kinds of State Employees and beneficiaries.  I fall under LS (for legal spouse) I had to get a copy of something showing we still live together, they suggest a copy of the front page of our 2010 Tax return, properly redacted and of course a copy of our marriage license.   The copy we had of the license  was stolen about 24 years ago when for the only time ever we were broken into and a lock box was taken which contained that and those sweet birth certificates you get from the hospital with the baby footprint on them.  No problem.  Monday I will call and get a copy from the County Clerk.

Had a nice weekend.  Worked  Monday morning,  Called the Courthouse,  We do not have a marriage license on file.    After all these years,  we are not married.  We have celebrated a 50th anniversary at our Church building; we have at times done a wee bit of marriage counseling and ourselves are living in sin.   We even appeared in the Casa Manana advertising for the HHH for two years in a row with the story of how we returned there on our 55th anniversary and sat in the same booth and told our story to a reporter for the Times and Record News,  I ask you, could a 50th anniversary celebration, a reporter for the TRN and Casa Manana be in error. Evidently,  cause I have no  license. 

I called Mate.  He is not worried about our reputation or the disgrace of it all, he wants to figure out how to keep his insurance,  (ever the  practical one).

  Now another thing about GST is that we are one of 16 states that recognize Common Law Marriage or CLM.  I have known that because we once  had a case that revolved around the legality of a CLM.  Folks they are as legal as you can get.  If you have a true CLM you would need to get a divorce before you could remarry. Contrary to what you may have believed there is no time limit.  From the moment you begin to hold yourselves out to be husband and wife, whether its one day, one year or one hour, you are married.   That gave me some solace where the insurance was concerned, but I had to tell the kids that they were born out of wedlock.  Called.  They both think this is the funniest thing
they have ever heard.   Also both assure me that living in California no one cares.  Daughter even says she can now blame anything  she does that is wrong on her birth status,  You can see what insensitive offspring we have,

Next I have to break this news to my sister.  The good child.  She too thinks this is hilarious.  Which of course she would.  You can see her position is further enhanced.   I then write my nieces and nephew and their spouses.  I explained to them what had happened and ended my email with...."You No Longer Have An Uncle Jim".

Well you would think that my family would be sad and broken hearted.  You would think wrong.  Some 50 emails went back and forth with one liners.  Some I admit are rather clever.  My daughter in law now has an identity crisis;  My niece in Chico wonders what we are going to put on the cute Christmas Shirts that usually say Merry Marshall Christmas so we can match in our Christmas picture; my daughter tells everyone in her company in California;  My grown grandchildren feel unique; my Methodist preacher nephew offers a cut rate wedding service where the cost is set by the number of Amens we want;  My sister does not know where I am so she emails that we are probably on dates. Some of the lines I cannot repeat.  Of course if you are judging, I will not name names, but the niece by marriage in Ohio refuses to give up Uncle Jim.  She  now calls him Uncle Boy Toy.

I got the blank affidavit from the audit company, the one entitled  "Affidavit of a Common Law Union".  Filled it out, waiting til Monday to get it signed by us and a Notary.  Embarrassed to look at it.  But life goes on.  Single Life.  I was 75 this April and thought I had only lived 17 of those years as a single person..now I find I lived the entire 75 as a  single person. 

My used to be Legal Spouse  and I talked and decided we would get a certificate,  Our solution is simple.  We purchase a wedding license, then wait til my sister got back from Tennessee  and on Sunday night a week from now we would  see if Larry would visit our small group and do a early quick wedding service.   My sister would be maid of honor and my great-niece would be  former Mate's best man.  I think that will wake my small group up if anyone has gone to sleep.  Of course our leader is a preacher and we might use him.

Friday afternoon I want to ask a couple of questions so I call the County Clerk.  I know the one that answers.  Tell her my story,  She is hysterical.  Funniest story she has heard this week.  Says wait a minute.  Tells me that since it was so long ago it might be on another computer program.

FILED IN VOLUME 36, ON PAGE 25, SIGNED BY ELDER CLYDE DARR, AN ORDAINED BAPTIST MINISTER IS A LICENSE  TELLING THE WHOLE WORLD THAT WE WERE MARRIED ON JULY 3, 1953.  I can send the GST a paper with a LS (legal spouse).

I figure that there is one more thing to do so that my family will never run out of stores to tell.  It will be only fitting if I am buried in the wrong grave.

Walking With Daisy # 2

 Here I am home another day with Daisy and Mate. What an exciting time we have had since we last wrote. Horrible fires in our community and we are praying for rain. During the heaviest of the fires we had friends call who were being evacuated from their home. They asked if they could come to our house with their dogs. Of course we said yes.





One of the dogs is an Irish Wolfhound, named Fen.  To say the least, this was the most dog that Daisy (and Mate and I) ever saw.  Daisy was  fascinated and wanted so badly to play.  Fen would have none of it.  Daisy as you can see is about as big as Fen's head.  When he came in the house I heard her bark an octave higher than ever before.  Luckily they got an all clear and did not lose anything.  But it was an adventure for all of us.


Then on Monday, April the 18th, my office mates took me to lunch at Pasqualls (which has the most wonderful soups in the world)I think it may have been a combination of birthday and retirement.  Brad gave me a gift card from Amazon so that I could buy books for the Kindle.  I got it loaded in and all I have to do is chose a book.  There are several I want to buy but I am having a hard time using the card.  I figure when I use it up it will be gone (which if you think about it makes perfect sense)   Never had a gift card before except to eat.  I have learned it is much harder to buy something with a  card than it is with cash.  This is exciting for me.  ......  Took me a few days but I purchased a book recommended in our Sunday paper.  Don't know the author, but it sounded like a good read.  Emily and Einstein.  I have  now  almost finished the book.  It is about a young woman in New York City who is married and her husband is killed in an accident.  He is then reincarnated into a scruffy dog who of course winds up with her.  She thinks it is just a dog. Versions of this story line have shown up in books for years and this one has some unusual twists.  Fun read.  I recommend it.  Wonder if Daisy is reincarnated?   I think not.

My daughter sent me a flower arrangement.  I am not usually a fan of cut flowers but how can a dog lover not love a flower that looks amazing like Daisy.

All in all a grand birthday.  Being 75 is another road to travel toward 76.  Occurs to me that I have been on the journey toward 76 years all of my life.  I just didn't know it would happen this quickly.  

Walking with Daisy #1

Part time retirement (PTR) has taken its toll on Daisy.  She is off schedule.  When I worked from 8:00 to 5:00 she would get really excited when I came home in the afternoon.  Breathing hard, running from the front door back to me then to Mate, talking Schnauzer talk.  She knew as soon as I headed toward the bedroom I was going to change clothes, I was going to get the halter, hand it to mate and she was going to "get dressed" for the favorite thing in her small life.  A walk through the neighborhood!  You might say she lives for those walks.  I of course had to get a sack and a rubber glove (since I am a good neighbor and pick up behind us) and she sits almost quietly in Mate's lap waiting for me to say "Okay".  Then its off to the races.

Daisy, Mate and I attended obedience school this past spring and early summer.  Our main purpose was to train Daisy to walk on a leash.  Not that she doesn't know about a leash, and not that she doesn't know about a walk, but putting them together is difficult for her.   I know you have seen those wonderful movies, or true life stories, about the Iditarod and the beautiful Eskimo  dogs that pull the loaded sled, along with the master, for miles and miles over frozen Alaskan terrain.  When we were looking on Pet Finder for a rescue dog to adopt, we came across Daisy's picture and she was described as mostly Miniature Schnauzer, weighing approximately  15 pounds.  We never found what else was in her background until we went for our first walk.  Obviously somewhere in her background was a sled dog pulling for all she was worth.  Daisy still does it today.

Despite the best efforts of the several trainers at the Obedience School, we did not quite master the walking on a leash part and we actually never missed a session.  Now we did learn about snacks (her favorite part)  and how she could wait patiently for one.  She even learned to get down when you put the snack in front of her nose and went down to the ground.  She still follows right along with you and lays down, never taking her eyes off the snack, to the point of almost looking cross eyed. She will wait patiently til you say "Okay" before she nicely takes the treat from your hand and lays there and devours it. Mate and I have not found an actual reason for this but she does look cute doing it.

But back to the walk. I often wish I had better balance and could ride a skateboard as it would be a wonderful exercise for Daisy to pull me. We have one of those leashes that you can let out and pull back in. She strains so hard I am often worried that if the leash would snap she would be in Archer County before she ever slowed down.

But back to confusion..... PTR (part time retirement) is giving me all sorts of different times to chose from for our walks and just this morning (Thursday, I don't go in til 1:00) we walked beginning at 7:00. She is trying to adjust. One thing for sure she is excited to go no matter what the time. Daisy may never be the dog that stops and smells the roses. Oh she smells all right, she has certain blades of grass and certain poles that she will at least slow down for but even when she squats she just keeps on going. I am thinking at this time in my life, going along with Daisy, straight ahead, looking neither to the left or to the right may be a good plan. The difference in me and Daisy, is that she looks down and I have to remember to keep on looking up. That way I will be sure and make home.

ONE MORE TIME

Here it is again.  About time for my birthday.  Three Quarters of a Century !! Now thats old.  Of course it sounds more when you say it that way than if you just say I will be 75.  No...I heard that and it sounds old either way.    I am doing something I have always said I would never do.  But then you know when you get a certain age changing your mind is about the only work your mind gets.  I am officially retiring to part time status. 

I began working when I was 14,  After school at S. H.  Kress in Downtown Wichita Falls.  That ill fated job from which I was fired for stealing  (see prior blog, Danger Liberal at Work).  I have loved working and have been blessed with having jobs which stimulated my mind, which stretched my abilities and where I have been free to use my considerable imagination.  I only went into this last job as a stop gap measure while my former job came back open.  This was after we had moved to California when Annde was ill.  I was going to work for a period of probably 10 days, doing them a favor, I thought. That was over 6 years ago. It has been a happy time.  I believe we have mutually benefited by our association but more so on my part.  Now they give me the opportunity to work part time.   I  love both of the Altmans, father and son, and have been blessed by working there.  My hours will probably lessen as I get used to this retirement thing,  but I will look forward to a day out now and then.  Have to admit I never did master the secretarial part of my job, but the younger one has figured out I only make a mistake every 1000 characters typed.  

Last year as I was about to turn 74, I did a blog entitled "I Never".    It was about the things I never got to do.  Still have not gotten to do them and of course won't.  Especially that thing of sitting on a piano with high heels and black stockings, legs crossed singing Cuddle Up a Little Closer.   BUT...  Kids are safe and sound along with grand children and great grandchildren;  Nephews and Nieces are relatively contented and happy;  My sister is still my best friend;  Mate still tells me he loves me every day.   But admittedly the high light of this past year ....  We got Daisy.  The little schnauzer who has brightened our lives and who makes every day an adventure.  What fun she is.  Our Church family is more precious than ever and so I can truthfully Thank God for this past year.

See you about this time next year.....Assuming the Lord is willing.

Lessons by Larry and Daisy

You know by now that Daisy is our rescued schnauzer who Mate and I dote on.  Larry, you may or may not know is the preacher where we attend church services. As much as we admire Larry, we seem to talk about Daisy more.   We  have loved and been inspired by him for over twenty five years. 

I have neglected this blog for months but now have  a desire to discuss Larry's Spoken Sunday Sermon and Daisy's Action Sermon.  They are actually close to identical, except you heard Larry and you could see Daisy.


Sunday morning the spoken  sermon had to do with a "white elephant"  I thought it was  interesting to find out  the history of the "white elephant". Among other things, it  was considered sacred.  If the King or ruler of a country wanted to honor a king or ruler of another county he would hunt for an albino elephant and gift the ruler with the animal.  This had a two fold purpose.  It was proper to bestow a gift on  visiting royalty and if you were less than fond of the ruler (which was practically always the case) it placed a burden on the one who received the elephant.  That king now had to carefully tend the sacred beast for the rest of its life (and elephants live a long time).  So all of a sudden a gift worth much,  was in fact, a burden.  The sermon went on to discuss our possessions and how they were sometimes burdens. In our country we have an  abundance even in times of economic hardship. We are richer than all the rest of the world  (with some eastern countries as exceptions)  Larry discussed how our possessions became white elephants in a sense and we spent time and money taking care of them, and "guarding" them.


I would invite you to our Web site, Tenth and Broad Church of Christ where you can click on the link and listen to this interesting and insightful sermon.  


Daisy has demonstrated the bottom line of this sermon in graphic detail.  We don't give Daisy bones, nor do we give her raw hide ones.  We did find a rather large one for a small dog that is good for her teeth and hard and looks like a bone.  Pedigree Company says on the cover that it tastes like Chicken and is actually good for her.  So we came home with a "treat".  After finally releasing this "bone" from the packaging, we gave it to this little happy go lucky schnauzer.  This is the dog who just "looks" happy.  She bounces instead of running, she greets all with the offer of dog kisses and tail wagging. 

Then all of a sudden she has a bone, a possession, something her instinct says to bury.  Her head is now bent low her eyes dart around.  Even though its just Daisy, Mate and Me, she is suspicious.   She takes the "bone" outside, she slowly plods around the perimeter of the yard.  She only Stops to bury it with leaves, pushing with her nose.  She looks behind her and to the left and to the right to see if anyone is watching.  Then she will tentatively walk away, but quickly goes back and moves her treasure just in case a bird has spotted her and spread the word where it is.


We cannot get her to come in the house.  It begins to get dark, it gets colder, but she does not care.  She has to guard her possession.  Her "white elephant" so to speak.  We call her in.  She looks at us sadly. We believe she could be thinking that as much as she loves us, she is now burdened down with something and it her responsibility to preserve this thing    If you know the story of Atlas, you know that he had to carry the world on his shoulders.  A weighty burden.  Daisy reminds us of Atlas.


Mate finally carries Daisy in the house.  She does not play with us, she does not sit quietly in Mate's lap for endless conversation and ear scratching.  (Daisy's ear, not Mates) She does go to the corner and quietly chews on this bone until she has devoured it.  Then an amazing thing happens:  We have our happy Daisy Schnauzer back! Her "white elephant" is gone, the weight of the world is off her shoulders.  Point made.

I don't know what Larry does all day, but Daisy watches for squirrels.  I suspect Larry does more important things.  However, we have not been attacked by squirrels and we feel it is due to her diligence.  I hope she never catches one, it would be the bone story all over again.