REMEMBER THAT?

Yeah, I Remember That!
If you are old enough...take this stroll...Close your eyes. Go back...before the Internet ... Before semiautomatics and drugs...before SEGA or Super Nintendo...

Way back...

We're talking 'bout hide and go seek at dusk. Sitting on the porch, Simon Says, Kick the Can, Red Light, Green Light. Lunch Boxes with a Thermos...that broke, Chocolate milk, going home for lunch, Penny Candy from the store, Hopscotch, butterscotch, skates with keys, Jacks, Mother May I?Hula Hoops, and Sunflower seeds, Whist and Old Maid and Crazy Eights, Wax lips and mustaches, Mary Jane's, saddle shoes and Coke bottles with the names of cities on the bottom, Running through the sprinkler, circle pins, bobby pins, Mickey Mouse Club, Crusader Rabbit, Rocky & Bullwinkle, Fran & Ollie, Spin & Marty...all in black & white.

When around the corner seemed far away, and going downtown seemed like going somewhere.

Bedtime, climbing trees, making forts in the backyard... A coaster made from orange crates and an old skate, Backyard Shows, Lemonade stands, Cops and Robbers, Cowboys and Indians, Sitting on the curb, Staring at clouds, Jumping down the steps, Jumping on the bed. Pillow fights, "company," Ribbon candy, angel hair on the Christmas tree,Jackie Gleason as "the Poor Soul," white gloves, walking to church, walking to the Community Center, Being tickled "to death", Running till you were out of breath, Laughing so hard that your stomach hurt, Being tired from playin'...Remember that?

Not stepping on a crack...or you'll break your mother's back... Paper chains at Christmas, bobbing for apples and popcorn balls on Halloween, silhouettes of Lincoln and Washington...the smell of paste, book bags and Evening in Paris...What about the girl that had the big bubbly handwriting...who dotted her "I's" with hearts?? The Stroll, "fruit loops" on the backs of shirts & sock hops.

Remember when... When there were two types of sneakers for girls and boys (Keds and PF Flyers) and the only time you wore them at school, was for "gym." And the girls had those ugly uniforms. When it took five minutes for the TV to warm up. When nearly everyone's Mom was at home when the kids got home from school. When nobody owned a pure bred dog.When a quarter was a decent allowance and another quarter a huge bonus. When you'd reach into a muddy gutter for a penny. When girls neither dated nor kissed until late high school, if then. When your Mom wore nylons that came in two pieces. When all of your male teachers wore neckties and female teachers had their hair done everyday and wore high heels.

When you got your windshield cleaned, oil checked, and gas pumped, without asking, for free, every time. And, you didn't pay for air. And, you got trading stamps to boot

When laundry detergent had free glasses, dishes, or towels hidden inside the box.When any parent could discipline any kid, or feed him or use him to carry groceries, and nobody, not even the kid, thought a thing of it. When it was considered a great privilege to be taken out to dinner at a real restaurant with your parents.

When they threatened to keep kids back a grade if they failed... and did. When the worst thing you could do at school was flunk a test or chew gum. And the prom was in the auditorium and we danced to an orchestra, and all the girls wore pastel gowns and the boys wore suits for the first time and we stayed out all night.

When a '57 Chevy was everyone's dream car... to cruise, peel out, lay rubber or watch submarine races, and people went steady and girls wore a class ring with an inch of wrapped dental floss coated with pastel frost nail polish so it would fit her finger. And no one ever asked where the car keys were, 'cause they were always in the car, in the ignition and the doors were never locked. And you got in big trouble if you accidentally locked the doors at home. No one ever had a key.

And lying on your back on the grass with your friends and saying things like, "That cloud looks like a........". And playing baseball with no adults to help kids with the rules of the game. Then...baseball was not a psychological group learning experience, ....it was a game.

Remember when stuff from the store came without safety caps and hermetic seals, 'cause no one had yet to poison a perfect stranger. And...with all our progress... don't you just wish...just once...you could slip back in time and savor the slower pace ... and share it with the children of the 80's and 90's...??????So send this on to someone who can still remember Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Trixie Belden, Laurel & Hardy, Howdy Doody and the Peanut Gallery, The Lone Ranger, The Shadow knows...Nellie Belle, Roy and Dale, Trigger and Buttermilk...as well as the sound of a reel mower on Saturday morning, and summers filled with bike rides, playing in Cowboy land, baseball games, bowling and visits to the pool...and eating Kool-Aid powder with sugar.When being sent to the principal's office was nothing compared to the fate that awaited a misbehaving student at home. Basically, we were in fear for our lives but it wasn't because of drive by shootings, drugs, gangs, etc.. Our parents and grandparents were a much bigger threat, but we all survived because their love was greater than the threat.Didn't that feel good, just to go back and say, "Yeah, I remember that

HURRY UP SPRING!

It snowed today. I think it was just to make us appreciate the wonderful spring days when we do have them.

I worked our "store" at the flea market on Friday. It was very slow and boring, but I sold a few things...like 4 electric oil warmer touch lights. I was so proud of myself! Then, today, Tammy called me, all excited because she had one customer bought SEVEN of them!! Four weeks ago, we had an inventory of 54...now have five left. Looks like a trip down to Indy this week to our supplier is a must! I'm so glad we have hit on something that people really go for.

New Pictures

Here's some updated pix of our "store" at the Speedway Flea Market in Fort Wayne.

CRIME VICTIM

The other evening as Tammy drove up to the house to let me off after a shopping expedition to Indianapolis, we noticed that the license plate was gone off Buick. At first we thought maybe it had somehow dropped off. But after further investigation, we discovered it had actually been stolen! I had driven it to Walmart just the day before, and a police car was behind me, so I'm sure it was stolen during the night.

What a hassle! I called the police and was told I had to go downtown to the police department and fill out a report. The next day George took me downtown. a Policewoman took my report and gave me a form to take to the BMV. When I went to the BMV they said a replacement plate was $9.00, but a new one was only $49. When she looked at my registration, she said I had paid the wrong amount for the stolen plate. I paid $45 and it should have been $49.

Anyway, I got the new plate for $49 and now I'm good until December of 2010.

I don't like being a victim!

THE MOM SONG

I COPIED THIS FROM TIA (the6Bennetts.blogspot.com) Click on it and check it out. so funny.

the Mom Song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7R9SFBLvIk

FLEA MARKET PICTURES

these are pictures of our booth at Speedway Flea Market. Tammy is standing by our new sign. The day it was finished and hung, she was so excited she called me and insisted I run right up and see the sign.

SENIOR ALPHABET

A for arthritis,
B for bad back,
C is for chest pains.
Perhaps cardiac?



D is for dental replacements and decline,
E is for eyesight--can't read that top line?
F is for fissures and fluid retention
G is for gas (which I'd rather not mention.)

H high blood pressure (I'd rather have low)
I for incisions with scars you can show.
J is for joints, that now fail to flex
L for libido--what happened to sex?


Wait! I forgot about K!
K is for my knees that crack when they're bent (Please forgive me, my Memory ain't worth a cent) ?
N for neurosis, pinched nerves and stiff neck
O is for osteo- and all bones that crack.


P for prescriptions, I have quite a few
Give me another pill; I'll be good as new!
Q is for queasiness. Wine or flu?
R is for reflux-- one meal turns into two

S is for sleepless nights, counting my fears?
T for tinnitus--I hear bells in my ears.
U is for urinary: difficulties with flow
V is for vertigo, that's "dizzy", you know.

W is worry, now what's going 'round?
X is for X ray-- and what might be found.
Y for another year I've left behind
Z is for zest that I still have my mind!

Have survived all the symptoms my body's deployed,
And kept twenty-six doctors gainfully employed!

TWENTY FIVE THINGS ABOUT ME

1. BLUE IS MY FAV COLOR
2. FRIED CHICKEN IS MY FAV MEAT
3. I LOVE THUNDERSTORMS
4. I DON'T WATCH MUCH TV
5. I WOULD RATHER READ THAN WATCH TV
6. I'D RATHER PLAY ON THE COMPUTER THAN WATCH TV
7. I HATE SHOPPING
8. I USE ELECTRIC CARTS WHEN I DO GO SHOPPING
9. MY MEMORY IS GETTING BAD...I MAKE LISTS SO I WON'T FORGET STUFF...THEN CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT I DID WITH THE LIST!
10. NOW I'M PUTTING PICTURES FROM GREAT GRANDKIDS ON MY FRIG DOOR.
11. I CAN'T CARRY A TUNE IN A WASH TUB...BUT I LOVE TO SING ANYWAY
12. I GET A GUILTY PLEASURE OUT OF JOE DOING DISHES EVERY NIGHT
13. OF ALL THE DOGS I'VE HAD, I LOVED KRISTIE MOST...BUT MISS FRECKLES MOST.
14. I THINK FAMILY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE HAVE.
15. I LOVED BEING A MOM...FROM CONCEPTION TO THE PRESENT.
16. I LOVE BEING A GRANDMOTHER...AND A GREAT GRANDMOTHER. BUT, IF KADYN ONLY HAS
12.5 PERCENT OF MY BLOOD,THAT MEANS HIS GRANDKIDS WILL HAVE BARELY A TRACE...AND THAT MAKES ME SAD.
17. I CAN TALK TO ANYBODY, EVEN PERFECT STRANGERS
18. I LOVE BIG FAMILY DINNERS
19. SPRING IS MY FAVORITE TIME OF THE YEAR, FOLLOWED CLOSELY BY FALL.
20. MY FAVORITE DESSERT IS ANYTHING CHOCOLATE...EXCEPT I DON'T LIKE CHOCOLATE CAKE.
21. I'VE ALWAYS LOVED WALKING IN THE RAIN...NOW I JUST STAND OUT IN IT!
22. I HATE MAKING BEDS
23. I WOULD RATHER TAKE A SHOWER THAN A BATH
24. I ACCEPTED JESUS WHEN I WAS TWELVE YEARS OLD...REAFFIRMED MY SALVATION WHEN I WAS THIRTY-FOUR YEARS OLD. (IS THAT WHAT I MEAN?)
25. I KNOW I'M GOING TO HEAVEN

WEEKEND

We had a pretty nice weekend. Tammy did a lot of work on our booth at the flea market. We moved across the aisle to a larger space...8 by 14 now...had 8 x 10. One of the vendors there made us a sign...TARAH'S GIFTS....looks really good. I'll post some pictures when I can. So many booths are selling jewelry...like every other one there...we've taken ours to a backseat..kinda...and emphasizing scents....scented rocks (sea salt crystals), fake perfumes, fragrance oils and the electric oil warmers-night lights. the scented sea salt is our biggest seller...but need to sell lots of it at $3.50 for six ounces to pay the rent! At this point, I'm still putting much more money in it than we're taking out. But...hope springs eternal!

Car Repairs

Egads!! I just had some work done on my car. Two weeks ago, when I left the flea market on Saturday, it wouldn't start. I finally had to get it towed in to a garage. Needed a new fuel pump. Also, the driver's door hasn't opened from the outside for over a year, so had that fixed...and they said the band holding the gas tank was nearly rusted through, so had to replace that. Totat cost was $595!!! For the life of me, I can't see how anyone raising a family could ever afford something like that. I remember once when a timing belt went out on Steve's Buick and it cost us $250 to repair it...we had to eat beans and macaroni for a month! That was a week's pay for the two of us combined!

MUSIC!!!!

I finally figured out how to put a music player on here. I hope you enjoy it.

I've been sick this past week and have not posted anything...nothing serious, just a cold, turned into asthmatic bronchitis. Thanks to the doctor and ClaritonD, I'm feeling much better.

The flea market has improved....it paid the rent for Feb!!

Since its late and I'm sleepy....after working all evening on figuring out the music player, I'm going to bed and will write more later.

THREE ABOUT ME

Okay...I stole this from Tia..who said she stole it from Steve Gall. I liked the idea, so here goes....Three about me.....

THREE JOBS I'VE HAD (and liked)....Legal secretary...when I first got out of high school, the lawyer also paid for me to go to night school and get a legal secretarial certificate.

Real estate secretary. I loved the job and my bosses. Over the nine years I worked there I became sales manager, property manager and they paid for me to go to school to get an appraisers license and my own real estate license.

Real Estate Salesperson. It was a wonderful job when my last child was born, Icould choose my hours.

THREE GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS.....Tammy, Buddy and Joey. I thank God every day for entrusting those precious lives to me....and for all His help in making them the wonderful adults they are.

THREE FOODS I could, but don't want to, live without.... Peanut butter M&Ms...should be one of the major food groups. Fried Chicken. Fried baloney sandwich.

THREE PLACES I've lived....Kentucky, Michigan, Indiana

THREE PEOPLE who have had the most influence on my life....Mr. Banks, my 4th and 5th grade teacher, Granny (my grandmother Polly Shepherd). Pastor Bob Hueni.

THREE PLACES I'd love to be right now....forget this one, I don't want to be anywhere else at this point in my life or with anyone else but Joe.

GRANDMA'S APRON

The principle use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath, but along with that, it served as a holder for removing hot pans from the oven.

It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears. From the chicken-coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids. And when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms. Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.

Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron. From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.

In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees. When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that "old-time apron" that served so many purposes.

REMEMBER THIS! Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool. Her granddaughters set theirs on the window sill to thaw.

DEAR GRANDSON

I have become a little older since I saw you last, and a few changes have come into my life since then. Frankly, I have become a frivolous old gal. I am seeing five gentlemen everyday.

As soon as I wake up, Will Power helps me get out of bed. Then I go to see John. Then Charlie Horse comes along, and when he is here he takes a lot of my time and attention. When he leaves, Arthur Ritis shows up and stays the rest of the day. He doesn't like to stay in one place very long, so he takes me from joint to joint.

After such a busy day, I'm really tired and glad to go to bed with Ben Gay. What a life.

Oh yes, I'm also flirting with Al Zymer.

Love, Grandma

PS The preacher came to call the other day. He said at my age I should be thinking of the hereafter. I told him, "Oh I do it all the time. No matter where I am, in the parlor, upstairs, in the kitchen, or down in the basement, I ask myself, "Now, what am I here after?"

DOCTOR DAY

Today was a big day....both Joe and I went to the doctor! Mine was just routine (you know the usual routine from the doctor....you still smoking?)

Joe went to get his ankle checked out. He's had an open sore on it for two or three months. I clean it every day and put neosporon and bandage on it. It seems to heal...redness gone, swelling gone....then within a week or two it's back, as bad as ever.

Doc said it's a Venus Ulcer. He cleaned it (abraided it...or something like that) and put a bandage on it. Joe has to go back in two weeks.

After the doctor, I dropped Joe and George off at OTB and went to the flea market...worked there for four hours....froze my project off!! This zero and below temps are the pits. At least it's supposed to be warmer tomorrow....in the 20's....Heat Wave!

LOOKING GOOD

LOOKING GOOD

My face in the mirror isn't wrinkled or drawn.
My house isn't dirty. The cobwebs are gone.
My garden looks lovely and so does my lawn.
I think I might never put my glasses back on

THE LORD'S PRAYER...A CONVERSATION WITH GOD

Our Father which art in heaven ..."

"Yes?"
"Don't interrupt me. I'm praying."

"But you called me."

"Called you? I didn't call you. I'm praying. Our Father which art in heaven ..."

"There ... you did it again."

"Did what?"

"Called me. You said, Our Father which art in heaven. Here I am. What's on your mind?"

"But I didn't mean anything by it. I was, you know, just saying my prayers for the day. I always say the Lord's Prayer. It makes me feel good, kind of like getting a duty done."

"All right. Go on."

"Hallowed be thy name ..."

"Hold it! What do you mean by that?"

"By what?"
"By 'hallowed be thy name'?"

"It means ... it means ... good grief! I don't know what it means. How should I know? It's just a part of the prayer. By the way, what does it mean?"

"It means honored ... holy ... wonderful."

"Hey, that makes sense. I never thought about what 'hallowed' meant before. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

"Do you really mean that?"

"Sure, why not?"

"What are you doing about it?"

"Doing? Nothing, I guess! I just think it would be kind of neat if you got control of everything down here like you have up there."

"Have I got control of you?"

"Well ... I go to church."

"That isn't what I asked you. What about your bad temper? You've really got a problem there, you know. And then there's the way you spend your money ... all on yourself. And what about the kind of books you read?"

"Stop picking on me! I'm just as good as some of the rest of those people at the church.

" Excuse me. I thought you were praying for my will to be done. If that is to happen, it will have to start with the ones who are praying for it ... like you, for example."

"Oh, all right. I guess I do have some hang-ups. Now that you mention it, I could probably name some others."

"So could I."

"I haven't thought about it very much until now, but I really would like to cut out some of those things. I would like to ... you know ... be really free."

"Good ... now we're getting somewhere! We'll work together, you and I. Some victories can truly be won. I'm proud of you."

"Look, Lord, I need to finish up here. This is taking a lot longer than it usually does. Give us this day, our daily bread."

"You need to cut out the bread. You're overweight as it is."

"Hey, wait a minute! What is this ... 'Criticize me day?' Here I was doing my religious duty, and all of a sudden you break in and remind me of all my hang-ups."

"Praying is a dangerous thing. You could wind up changed, you know. That's what I'm trying to get across to you. You called me, and here I am. It's too late to stop now. Keep praying. I'm interested in the next part of your prayer ... (pause). Well ... go on!"

"I'm scared to."

"Scared? Of what?"

"I know what You'll say."

"Try me and see."

"Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us."

"What about Ann?"

"See? I knew it! I knew you would bring her up! Why Lord, she's told lies about me, spread stories about my family. She never paid back the debt she owes me. I've sworn to get even with her!"

"But your prayer? What about your prayer?"

"I didn't mean it."

"Well, at least you're honest. But it's not much fun carrying that load of bitterness around inside, is it?

"No, but I'll feel better as soon as I get even. Boy, have I got some plans for that neighbor. She'll wish she had never moved into this neighborhood."

"You won't feel any better. You'll feel worse. Revenge isn't sweet. Think of how unhappy you already are. But I can change all that."

"You can? How?"

"Forgive Ann. Then I'll forgive you. Then the hate and sin will be Ann's problem and not yours. You will have settled your heart."

"Oh, you're right. You always are. And more than I want to revenge Ann, I want to be right with you. Ann, I want to be right with you ... (pause) ... (sigh). Alright! Alright! I forgive her! Help her to find the right road in life, Lord. She's bound to be awfully miserable now that I think about it. Anybody who goes around doing the things she does to others has to be out of it. Someway, somehow, show her the right way."

"There now! Wonderful! How do you feel?"

"Hmmmm ... well, not bad. Not bad at all. In fact, I feel pretty great! You know, I don't think I'll have to go to bed uptight tonight for the first time since I can remember. Maybe I won't be so tired from now on because I'm not getting enough rest."

"You're not through with your prayer. Go on."

"Oh, all right. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."

"Good! Good! I'll do that. Just don't put yourself in a place where you can be tempted."

"What do you mean by that?

" Don't turn on the TV when you know the laundry needs to be done and the house needs to be picked up. Also, about the time you spend having coffee with your friends ... if you can't influence the conversation to positive things, perhaps you should re-think the value of those friendships. Another thing, your neighbors and friends shouldn't be your standard for "keeping up with." And please don't use me for an escape hatch."

"I don't understand the last part."

"Sure you do. You've done it a lot of times. You get caught in a bad situation. You get into trouble and then you come running to me. "Lord, help me out of this mess, and I promise you I'll never do it again." You remember some of those bargains you tried to make with me?"

"Yes and I'm ashamed, Lord. I really am."

"Which bargain are you remembering?"

"Well, there was the night that Bill was gone and the children and I were home alone. The wind was blowing so hard I thought the roof would go any minute and tornado warnings were out. I remember praying, 'Oh God, if you spare us, I'll never skip my devotions again."

"I protected you, but you didn't keep your promise, did you?"

"I'm sorry, Lord. I really am. Up until now I thought that if I just prayed the Lord's Prayer every day, then I could do what I liked. I didn't expect anything to happen like it did."

"Go ahead and finish your prayer."

"For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen."

"Do you know what would bring me glory? What would really make me happy?"

"No, but I'd like to know. I now want to please you. I can see what a mess I've made of my life. And I can see how great it would be to really be one of your followers."

"You just answered the question."

"I did?"

"Yes. The thing that would bring me glory is to have people like you truly love me. And I see that happening between us. Now that some of these old sins are exposed and out of the way, well, there is no telling what we can do together."

"Lord, let's see what we can make of me, okay?"

"Yes, let's see."

CREATION

On the first day God created the cow. God said, "You must go to the field with the farmer all day long, suffer under the sun, have calves and give milk to support the farmer I will give you a life span of sixty years."

The cow said, "That's a kind of a tough life you want me to live for sixty years. Let me have twenty years and I'll give back the other forty."

And God agreed.

On the second day, God created the dog. God said, "Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes in or walks past. I will give you a life span of twenty years."

The dog said, "That's too long to be barking. Give me ten years and I'll give back the other ten."

So, God agreed.

On the third day God created the monkey. God said, "Entertain people, do monkey tricks, make them laugh. I'll give you a twenty year life span."

Monkey said "Monkey tricks for twenty years? I don't think so. Dog gave you back ten, so that's what I'll do too, okay?"

And God agreed again.

On the fourth day God created man. God said, "Eat, sleep, play, have sex, enjoy. Do nothing, just enjoy, enjoy. I'll give you twenty years."Man said, "What? Only twenty years? No way man. Tell you what, I'll take my twenty, and the forty the cow gave back, and the ten the dog gave back and the ten the monkey gave back. That makes eighty, okay?"

"Okay," said God. "You've got a deal."

SO: That is why for the first twenty years we eat, sleep, play, have sex, enjoy, and do nothing; for the next forty years we slave in the sun to support our family; for the next ten years we do monkey tricks to entertain our grandchildren; and for the last ten years we sit in front of the house and bark at everybody.

AMERICAN IDOL

Yeah...yeah...I'm a big fan of American Idol. And these two nights of auditions have not disappointed me. I really liked the blind guy last night. I think he will go far. Tonight, my favorite was ...again...the last performer, the mother of three. I think it's going to be a good season!

Nothing much is happening in our lives right now. So.....I'm going to be inserting some articles...humourous and otherwise....on being a senior citizen, culled from other sites on the internet. I hope you enjoy them. Don't be afraid to comment.